Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
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Dear Cavalier Friends, Fall is a special time to be in Charlottesville. The level of activity has been high with all of the fall sports in action and quickly moving into postseason competition. The winter sports are gearing up, headlined by the #8 ranked men's basketball team and the #18 ranked wrestling team. We have enjoyed seeing many donors, fans and student-athlete alumni in Charlottesville during the foot- ball season and have had several opportunities to honor many of our loyal donors. FALL 2014 SPECIAL RECOGNITION EVENTS We celebrated the loyalty of 59 donors at the 4 th annual 40-year Milestone Dinner on September 26 at Morven Farm. This special evening honored VAF members who reached their 40 th anniversary for consecutive years of giving with their 2013 gift. They were also recognized onfield at halftime of the football game versus Kent State. These 59 donors have contributed over $3.5 mil- lion during the past 40 years, which is a remarkable show of support. At each home football game we highlight a VAF Member of the Game, recognizing their support of the Foundation. These donors are also featured on our web- site. This is one way we can share the faces and stories behind the donors who support over 650 student-athletes each year. We are truly fortunate to have their loyal and generous support. We also recognized our endowed scholarship and annual scholarship donors, along with the student-ath- letes receiving these scholarships, at our Celebration of Champions dinner on the Lawn on October 24. The five ACC championship coaches from last year addressed the group and provided an entertaining panel discussion. I continue to be amazed at the level of investment our donors make and how they affect the experience of our student-athletes. Our All-Sports Reunion was held the weekend of October 24-25. Over 700 student-athlete alumni, family and friends returned to Grounds. One of the highlights was the return of the 1989 ACC Championship football team that was honored on the field during the UNC versus UVa football game to the delight of the Homecom- ings crowd. We enjoyed seeing all of the student-athlete alumni throughout the weekend at various events, tail- gates and even a few alumni games. FINISHING THE FUNDRAISING YEAR We are now in the final two months of our fundrais- ing year and we have a great deal of work to do to reach our $15.4 million goal by December 31. At the end of October, we were approximately 3.5 percent ahead of last year's total during the same time period. Our scholarship expense continues to rise – increasing 35 percent in the last five years – which has created a significant challenge for the Foundation and put an increased strain on our an- nual fund. For each of the last five years, we have relied on cash reserves to fulfill our scholarship commitment, a trend we cannot afford to continue. As you think about your year-end charitable giving plans, I would ask that you consider a few options. Over 3,100 of the 7,892 donors to date have increased their pledge over their gift from the previous year. If you haven't done so, please consider making an additional investment in Virginia athletics by adding to your con- tribution. Secondly, if you have appreciated securities, please consider using those as a way to make your contribution. It can be a useful tax strategy as well as a good way to support our student-athletes. You can also get a jump on your 2015 gift by allocating a year-end contribution for next year. For more information on ways to make a year-end contribution, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our staff (434.982.5555). As we celebrated with many of our donors throughout the fall, one thing was clear – our donors have had and will continue to have a significant impact on the overall success of Virginia athletics. Thank you for all of your support throughout 2014. Best regards, Dirk P. Katstra, Executive Director