2 Monday, May 18, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Teeing off for Mott's Children's Hospital Third annual charity event raises $650,000 By RYAN KARTJE Managing Sports Editor Under the leadership of former Michigan football players Brian Griese and Steve Hutchinson, the Champions for Children's Hearts Celebrity Golf Tournament enjoyed a very successful third year. The duo sought to continue the philanthropic trend initiatedby for- mer football coach Gary Moeller in 1990. Moeller would take his players on weekly visits to Mott's Children's Hospital to brighten the lives of sick children through the From the Heart Program. Originally slated as a gala event and a reunion for members of the 1997 National Championship foot- ball team, the event has expanded to become one of the football pro- gram's largest fundraisers and includes members of the 1997 team as well as current NFL players and past Michigan greats. The annual event includes a kick- off dinner gala at Crisler Arena which served 500 guests, followed by the golf tournament the next day. In its first two years, the-golf out- ing and gala event raised more than $650,000. After the event's first two impres- sive years, Griese was thrilled to see this year's event continue its suc- cessful run with an expanded guest list of former athletes and over $120,000 raised at the gala alone. By the end of the golf tournament, the donations totaled $650,000. "Part of beinga Michigan man is doing community service and giv- ing back," Griese said. "And Mott Hospital is a great way to do it. ... It means a lot to (Hutchinson and I) because it was a part of our experi- ence as student athletes." In addition to support from Michigan athletes and coaches, the fundraiser has had continuing sup- port from sponsors Lexus of Ann Arbor and Delta Airlines, which have both continued to aid Griese and Hutchinson in the execution of such a large fundraising venture. Much of the fundraising at the event will go toward the construe- tion of the new Mott Hospital, which is expected to cost an esti- mated $523 million and is scheduled to open in 2011. The rest of the fund- raising will go toward the Michigan Congenital Heart Center and the Samara Mendu Fellowship Fund for pediatric cardiology and pediatric cardiac surgery. Niether Griese nor former Heis- man trophy winner Charles Wood- son were surprised that contributors made this year's event the most successful of all, despite the recent downturn in the economy. "To raise so much money with what's going on right now is amaz- ing," Woodson said. "What that tells you is that this cause is important. When you can help someone out who's hurting, especially a child, I think most people would give their last dime for something like that." Woodson's contribution to this year's event inspired Griese and Hutchinson to invite him to become the third leg of the fundraising event next year- something Wood- son said was "just duty calling." "When Brian asked me, I had no hesitation," Woodson said. "Wheth- er it's doctors, aspiring doctors or researchers, it's important that they have whatever they need to facili- tate to patients. Those patients need all the care in the world, and what the doctors need is funding. "It's important for us to be involved and get this money raised so maybe sometime in the future we find that cure." During the tenure of former foot- ball coach Lloyd Carr, the athletic department began to increase its role in fundraising ventures, and current coach Rich Rodriguez, who was a coach at West Virginia Uni- versity at the time, took notice. So when he came to the Univer- sity, Rodriguez felt that continuing the overwhelming support for fund- raising, especially for Mott hospital, was an important part of his student- athletes' experience at Michigan. "In our profession, I think it's part of your job, but I don't think that's the reason you do it," Rodri- guez said. "You want to give back to the community and the people who mean so much to our area ... and I don't know if there's a better cause you can contribute to." 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com JAMIE BLOCK DAN NEWMAN Editor in Chief BusinessManager 734-643336 734-764-0558 jamblock@umich.edu ..dbusiness@gmair, com CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom Officehours: Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m. -2 a.m. News Tips news@nichigandaily.com Corrections corrections@michigandail,.com Letters to theditor tothedaiymchiaalco Photo Department photo@mihigandaily.om 734.764-0533 Arts Section artspage@michigundaily.com 734-763-0379 EditorialPage opinion@michigandaily.com 734-764-6136 SportsSection sports@richigandaiy.com Sales daiydisplaygmail.com ClassifiedSales daly.cassi fidegmailcom 734-764-05s7 Finance tmdnance@gmail.com 734-763-3246 EDITORIAL STAFF RobertlSoave ManagingEditor rsoave@umich-edu LaraZade ManagingNewsEditor lmzade@umich.edu ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Caitlin Schneider, Stephanie Steinberg, Jasmine Zhu Rachel Van Gilder Editorial Page Editor ASOIAEEDTR: Patrick Zabawa RyanKartje Managing Sports Editor =SSOCIAE EDnR: Chancel Jennings David Riva Managing Arts Editor driva@umich.edu A SSOCIATE E DITOR: Jeff Sanford Max Collins Managing Photo Editor macsully@umich.edu Sara Boboltzand Stephanie Farr Managing Design Editors boboltzs@un ich.edu and smfarr@umich.edu Lauren Schmandt Managing Multimedia Editor '"chlse' mic'e" Master of Science in Biotechnology Earn a graduate degree in 15 months Prepare for a rewarding career in biotechnology or pharmaceuticals Apply at www.MBP.northwestern.edu today for integrated training in Biotechnology NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY BUSINESS STAFF KatieJozwiak Kayla Laana Meryl Hulteng Ben English Sales Mana,,gr The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. 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