More Than $20K Raised for Stefanie Spielman Fund by 2005 Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Dec. 15, 2005
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Fifth Annual Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic last October raised a tournament-record $20,069 for the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Ohio State softball coach Linda Kalafatis announced this week as the final dollar amount was calculated. The amount exceeds the previous record of $13,551 raised during the 2004 tournament and the event now has generated $57,629 in its five years of existence.
With its contribution, the Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic keeps its place among the Top 5 annual fundraisers for the Fund. Held Oct. 1-2 at Fred Beekman Park on the OSU campus, the Charity Classic featured 19 collegiate softball teams from around the state.
“We were hoping to cross the $20,000 mark,” Kalafatis said. “So I, along with all of the participants, volunteers, umpires, vendors and tournament staff of the 2005 Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic are thrilled to contribute $20,068.58 to the Stefanie Spielman Fund. Stefanie, and the Spielman family, are such an inspiration and we hope our efforts in her campaign will some day soon totally wipe out breast cancer. This is also a testament to the softball community in Ohio. There are so many great people that assisted with the tournament and the fans that came are really the benefactors.”
The 2005 Classic received a $7,500 contribution from the Ohio Troopers Coalition along with continued support from vendors such as Coke and Roosters. A raffle was held and donations were accepted during the two-day event and all umpires donated their time. The OCCC raised $5,500 in 2001, $8,841 in 2002 and $9,668 in 2003.
Spielman and her husband, former All-Pro NFL linebacker and OSU standout, Chris Spielman, established the Stefanie Spielman Fund, pledging to raise $1 million for breast cancer research. The goal has been surpassed, but the Spielmans continue the fight against breast cancer. For information, please log on to the Stephanie Spielman Fund website at www.jamesline.com.
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