Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/114138
Dear Cavalier Friends, It is hard to believe that we are already into the madness of March, with the conclusion of the winter sports and the start of all of our spring sports. February seems like a blur as it was filled with a great deal of activity for the Foundation. The 2013 annual fundraising materials have been mailed. If you have not received your Membership Guide and pledge card, please contact our office or visit our website VirginiaAthleticsFoundation.com to view it online. We have already seen a great response from our donors and realized our highest fundraising total in the month of February since 2008. Many donors are participating in the I Give 110% initiative with over half of those who have made a pledge giving 110%. We will list each donor who has participated in the initiative on our website monthly. The first drawing for prizes has taken place and the recipients are listed on page 4. We hope to see your name there! On Feb. 23, former Cavalier football star and current Tampa Bay Buccaneer, Ronde Barber, was our emcee for our Donor Appreciation event in the John Paul Jones Arena. This event, highlighted by a concert with Earth, Wind & Fire, was a special "thank you" to all of our donors for their incredible investment over the last ten years. We distributed over 8,000 tickets, which included 350 student-athletes and coaches who were in attendance with our donors. I think it was especially fitting that on this same night, the women's swimming and diving team won another ACC Championship (sixth in a row and 300 points better than second-place finisher Virginia Tech), which we announced at the conclusion of the event. The VAF Board of Trustees worked hard with the athletics department to create this special evening to show our collective gratitude to all of you who invested over $300 million in the last 10 years. Your commitment to the Cavaliers during this time was unprecedented and laid the foundation for the future success of our student-athletes and teams over the next ten years. Your commitment has allowed us to dream big and to create a student-athlete experience that is second to none. Finally, the construction of George Welsh Indoor Practice Facility is nearing completion as the football team prepares for spring practice. We have not yet completed the fundraising for this project but are close. This $13 million (construction cost) project has an additional $1.2 million in debt service to account for pledges that will be paid over the next several years. Our staff will be working with donors over the next few months to try to bring this fundraising effort to closure. This is an important facility for all of our field sports, but especially football, as Coach London and his staff are already seeing it pay off on the recruiting trails. We are excited and encouraged by the support our donors and fans are demonstrating for our teams. We are honored by your generosity and loyalty. Thank you. Sincerely, Dirk P. Katstra Executive Director