On March 5, 2005 Cal Ripken was honored by the Vince Lombardi Charitable Funds, Inc. at the 15th Annual Vince Lombardi 'Award of Excellence' Dinner Ball in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bart Starr, Hall of Fame NFL quarterback from the Green Bay Packers and Chairman of the Vince Lombardi Charitable Funds, presented Cal Ripken with the award. One of the major fundraising events for the Vince Lombardi Charitable Funds, Inc., the event honors someone who has made a "Hall of Fame" contribution to a sport, profession, or business in a manner that exemplifies appreciation of God, country, society, family and self, not only for the sport, profession or business involved, but to the men, women and children whose lives are enhanced by emulating those standards. The the past the 'Award of Excellence' has been presented to many distinguished Americans such as President George H. Bush, General H. Norman Schwarzhopf, Bob Hope, Dan Jensen, Hank Aaron and Peggy Flemming to name a few. The 2004 honoree was Mark Johnson, Most Valuable Player, 1980 United States Gold Medal Olympic Hockey Team. Established in memory of Coach Vince Lombardi, the sole purpose of the Vince Lombardi Charitable Funds, Inc. is to raise funds for cancer research, education, patient care and early detection of the disease for the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic, Gene Therapy Research Laboratory and Cancer Counseling Center, at St. Luke's Medical Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin.