Senior all-America athlete Cassie Ficken thanked attendees at the Let Me Play Luncheon for their part in making the dreams of young women a reality. |
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Let Me Play Luncheon Raises Record $78,000 For 49ers Women's Athletics
Nov. 19, 2005
Charlotte, N.C. - Athletic Director Judy Rose announced today that the 2nd Annual "Let Me Play" luncheon exceeded its goal by raising more than $78,000 for the Charlotte 49ers women's athletics program. The event was held on Tuesday, November 15 at the Westin Hotel in Uptown Charlotte.
Wachovia was the presenting sponsor of the event for the second year in a row. "We could not have reached our goal without their help," said Assistant Director of the Athletic Foundation and event organizer Kelly Weatherman. "We are thankful to everyone at Wachovia but especially Tim Crist and Susan Johnson who continue to support women in our community."
There were 370 attendees at Tuesday's event, a marked increase from a year ago when the 49ers raised $62,000 at the inaugural event. Athletic Director Judy Rose said, "The fact that our attendance increased 35% over last year and that we raised substantially larger dollars proves that women in Charlotte believe in empowering young women and helping provide resources that will allow them to compete at the highest levels while receiving a quality education."
This year's event featured guest speaker and former 49ers women's basketball player Karen Popp, now an attorney with Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP. Ms. Popp's illustrious career includes work as a prosecutor in many famous New York City mafia cases, serving as legal counsel to both Janet Reno and President Bill Clinton, and as a current writer/consultant for television's The West Wing.
Popp spoke about the effect that athletics has had in molding her life and career. "I thought the event was great," she said. "I was so pleased to see so many women, so many people supporting Women's Athletics. It speaks highly of the Charlotte women's business community to see so many women there. I was honored to be part of this wonderful event."
Among the notable women in attendance were Lisa Lewis Dubois, wife of UNC Charlotte Chancellor Phil Dubois, Pat Rodgers, President and CEO of Rodgers Builders, Dale Halton, former CEO of Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Charlotte, Mariam Cannon Hayes, Trudi Lacey, General Manager of the Charlotte Sting, Amanda Butler, Charlotte 49ers Head Women's Basketball Coach, Martha Woodward, wife of former UNC Charlotte Chancellor Jim Woodward and Joan Lorden, UNC Charlotte's Provost.
Senior cross country/track & field star Cassie Ficken, who recently qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships, also spoke to the group about the influence athletics has had on her distinguished collegiate career. "As a student-athlete I am fortunate to have a constant support group of people all helping me stay on the task of achieving my dreams," said Ficken. "Simply put, without athletics I would not be the young woman I am today - a dreamer, a hard-worker and a person driven to succeed. Thank you for your part in making the dreams of young women like myself a reality."
Charlotte sponsors eight varsity women's athletic programs (basketball, indoor and outdoor track, cross country, volleyball, soccer, softball, and tennis). All three fall women's programs finished in the upper tier of the Atlantic 10 Conference. Cross Country finished a strong second place, soccer was third and volleyball earned the league tournament's fourth seed.
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