July 22, 2008
Athlete Update: Beijing Bound
Hi everyone!
I hope everyone has been having as much fun as I have this summer. The Foundation has been out in force at outreach events, community events and sporting events spreading the word. We’ve been to DC and Connecticut to watch the USA Softball team in action, we watched the New York Liberty take on the Indiana Fever in the first outdoor professional basketball game in the Arthur Ashe Stadium at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, and we’ve even welcomed more than 30 members of the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame to their new home at the Sports Museum of America. But I think that the best of the summer is yet to come as the summer Olympics and Paralympics Games in Beijing are right around the corner. We are all so excited, and as the tagline says, “Amazing Awaits,” and that can’t be more true! I am sure that there will be some amazing moments that will keep all of us in awe. Everyone here at the Foundation wishes all the Olympians on their way to Beijing the best of luck, and I guarantee that we will all be watching and cheering loudly for you all!
HOW CAN I HELP?
- Don't forget to Send Your Auction Items In!! - In conjunction with 29th Annual Salute to Women in Sports Awards Dinner we will be holding another Charityfolks.com auction. Last year we raised more than $10,000 with amazing donations and we’re hoping to top it this year with the great things we've received, like a NY Knicks Ball Kid Experience, game-used autographed cleats from members of the USA Softball team, a Gilbert Arenas Autographed Wizards jersey, a private cooking lesson from a professional chef and more. We want to make this year's auction even more successful, so please be sure to send your items in. You can send them to me at the Foundation office by Sept 5. Thank you in advance for your help!
- Easy Money! - Here's a new easy way to raise money for the Women's Sports Foundation. Just start using GoodSearch.com as your search engine. Every time you search, GoodSearch.com makes a donation to us, and it's powered by Yahoo! so you get great search results! Just visit http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbars.aspx to download the GoodSearch toolbar onto your computer:
FOUNDATION HAPPENINGS
- USA Softball Goes to Washington - The nation's capital was the host of some great women's sports events, and the Foundation was lucky enough to be involved in! On Saturday, May 10, we headed on down to Bowie, Md., to help support the women's USA Softball team as it took on defending NPF champions, the Washington Glory. The crowd of more than 8,500 was amazing and only 26 people short of setting an Olympic attendance record. On Sunday, we picked up seven members of the USA Softball team - Natasha Watley, Lauren Lappin, Vicky Galindo, Kelly Kretschman, Monica Abbott, Laura Berg, and Jenny Topping and made our way to the brand new Nationals Park to attend the Washington Nationals game. The athletes got a private tour of the stadium, watched batting practice from the field and then participated in the pre-game "Washington Play Ball" Shout. After that, they headed up to the Foundation table and signed autographs for loads of fans already waiting for them. Click here to check out some photos from the weekend.
- GoGirlGo! Chicago – On May 28, USA Lacrosse team member, Kristen Kjellman, attended a GoGirlGo! Open House in Chicago’s Kosciusko Park. She hung out with girls from all over the area, playing lacrosse and talking about what GoGirlGo! means to them. It was a great day, and fun was had by all!
- Welcome Home! – On June 9, 2008, the Women’s Sports Foundation welcomed members and new inductees into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame to the Hall’s new home within the Billie Jean King International Women’s Sports Center, part of the Sports Museum of America in lower Manhattan. This year’s induction class was gymnast Shannon Miller, softball coach Sue Enquist, runner Hassiba Boulmerka and golfer Hisako Higuchi. The Foundation also brought in more than 30 of the past inductees from all over the world; and let me tell you, it was an honor and a pleasure to be around all of those accomplished athletes and coaches for a few days as they shared stories of their great careers. Each member of the Hall of Fame was also presented with their very own Tiffany bracelet personalized with their name and induction year. To see photos of the event, click here.
HEADLINES
- The USA Hockey National Team are World Champions Once Again – In April, the USA beat out Canada for its second gold medal at the world championships. The young squad faced an uphill battle having to beat the top-seeded Canadians twice to secure the gold but proved that it was up to the task. To read more about the game, click here.
- Women’s Motocross Added to the 2008 Summer X Games – There is one more gold medal up for grabs for female athletes this year as women’s motocross will make its debut at this summer’s X Games in LA. Check out this link to find out more.
The Athlete Services staff is once again packing up and heading out west! Bill and I will be heading to Los Angeles to attend the Summer X Games to talk up the Foundation and be witness to Jessica Patterson and Ashley Fiolek, among others, duking it out for the first women’s motocross gold medal, to skateboarder Lyn-z Adams Hawkins as she aims for her second straight gold medal in skateboard vert and to all the rest of the fun and excitement that surely awaits!
We hope all is well with everyone! Keep in touch!
All the best,
Stacy