The North Texas Chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America will feature former Texas Rangers star Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez as its special guest at a dinner this week.

The chapter’s third annual fundraising dinner will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Belo Mansion in Dallas.

Rodriguez, a fan favorite in his 13 seasons playing for the Rangers, will be interviewed on stage by Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. Rodriguez, a 14-time All-Star catcher who is in the Texas Rangers’ Hall of Fame, earned 13 Rawlings Gold Gloves as a catcher, including 10 in a row from 1992-2001. Rodriguez is now special assistant to the general manager for the Rangers.

At the dinner, the North Texas Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation will give out three awards:

Dr. Gary Morchower will get the Lifetime Achievement Award. He started the chapter 35 years ago and is still practicing as a pediatrician.

Annette Cox is the group’s Volunteer of the Year. She has raised more than $25,00 through the chapter’s half-marathon endurance training program. She also serves on the North Texas Leadership Board. Cox’s devotion to the cause is driven by her 11-year-old son, Gavin, who is living with Crohn’s disease.

Tariq Washington-Walker of Duncanville will get the Rising Star Award. The 17-year-old has battled Crohn’s since age 11. This summer, he attended Camp Oasis, a co-ed residential camp for children with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Tickets to the dinner start at $200, and the money raised will support research, education and support programs. Visit online.ccfa.org/thirdannualdinner or call 972-386-0607.

The chapter explained that Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis affect 1 in 200 people, and they are painful, medically incurable diseases that attack the digestive system. Most people diagnosed with these diseases begin to develop symptoms between 15 and 35, and the incidence is rapidly increasing in children.