The Lakeshore Classic is a family-oriented event focusing its activities on raising educational awareness and drawing on the parallels between sports participation and academic achievement to encourage the region’s youth to follow a path for success. The Lakeshore Classic committee consists of representatives from throughout Northwest Indiana representing a variety of disciplines including education, the non-profit community, and businesses—both large and small.
The Lakeshore Classic event was established by the Gary Chamber of Commerce under the direction of executive Director Charles Hughes. The Gary Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary organization of citizens who are investing time and money in a community development program - working together to improve the economic, civic, and cultural well being of the area.
2009 Lakeshore Classic Committee
O’Merrial Butchee, Ivy Tech www.ivytech.edu
April Dungy, Dungy & Associates
Sondra Ford, Indiana Minority Enterprise Center www.gechezone.com
Rev. Dwight Gardner, Trinity Baptist Church www.trinitybaptist-gary.com
Eve Gomez, National City Bank www.nationalcity.com
Latoya Goodwin, Centier Bank www.centier.com
Melvyn Harding, Purdue University Calumet www.calumet.purdue.edu
Chuck Hughes, Gary Chamber of Commerce www.garychamber.com
Danita Johnson Hughes, Edgewater Systems www.edgewatersystems.org
Michael Matlock, Peoples Bank www.ibankpeoples.com
Eddie Melton, Legacy Foundation www.legacyfoundationlakeco.org
Chris Ramirez, Region Sports Network www.regionsports.com
Jason Sands, South Shore Sports Promotions www.southshoresports.org
Renae Vania-Tomczak, Edgewater Systems www.edgewatersystems.org
Terrence Wilburn, Bluechip Athletics
Rinzer Williams, City of Gary www. www.gary.in.us
Lakeshore Classic Regional Advisors
Dr. Bruce Bergland, Indiana University Northwest
Representative Charlie Brown
Senator Ed Charbonneau
Vic DeMeyer, Consultant
Representative Earl Harris
Dr. Danita Johnson Hughes, Edgewater Systems
Jerry Jones, United Water
Lou Martinez, Lake Area United Way
Senator Lonnie Randolph
Senator Earline Rogers
Dave Ryan, Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce