Goodbye to a Special Friend
 The San Antonio Sports Foundation lost a very special person on Thursday. Alma Striker, director of Dreams for Youth and the Community Olympic Development Program, lost her battle with cancer. Alma had been head of youth programs since 1998, and in that time, Dreams for Youth grew from six sites and 5,900 children to 18 locations and 46,000 children. Stacey Johnson, founder of Dreams for Youth, San Antonio Sports Foundation board member and Olympian said it best: “Alma was truly the ‘mother’ of Dreams for Youth and the Sports Foundation’s youth programs. She helped and shepherded thousands of children in San Antonio as they utilized sport to explore themselves and reach for their dreams.”
In her honor, the San Antonio Sports Foundation has established the Alma Striker Travel & Training Grant. This will enable the boys and girls that she so cared for to continue to receive the coaching and competitive opportunities that she believed to be so important.
The grant has been established to provide individuals from Bexar County training in an Olympic sport who exhibit regional, national or international ranking, or the potential for such a ranking, with a stipend to help relieve some of their financial burdens. In addition to covering the cost of travel to competitions, the grant can be used to purchase specialized equipment or pay for coaching or training expenses.
Alma will be missed by all of us and the incredible number of children whose lives she positively impacted through the Dreams for Youth programs. We have been blessed to have her on the staff and we appreciate all that she did for the Sports Foundation and each of us personally.
Schedule of services:
Castle Ridge Mortuary • 8008 W. Military Drive
San Antonio, TX 78227 • (210) 645-6000
Visitation: Sunday, September 9 from 2:00pm – 9:00pm
Rosary: Sunday at 6:00pm
Graveside Service: Monday, September 10 at 10:00am - San Fernando Cemetery No. 2 (Procession will depart funeral home at 9:15am)
If you would like to contribute to the Alma Striker Travel and Training Grant fund, please send your designated contribution to the San Antonio Sports Foundation, P.O. Box 830386, San Antonio, TX 78283-0386. You can also call 210.820.2102 for more information.
Dr.
Susan Blackwood
Executive Director
 2007 Valero Go!Kids Challenge Gets Going
Eight hundred students at Locke Hill Elementary School in the Northside Independent School District helped get the 2007 Valero Go!Kids Challenge off to a rousing start on Wednesday, Sept. 5th.
At the official media kickoff, students got in the mood for moving with trainers from Catz Sports. Olympians Josh Davis and Liza Hunter Galvan inspired students to get active and make routine exercise part of their daily lives. Clark High School cheerleaders, football players and band lent their support and talents adding to the festive atmosphere. Now 160,000 elementary children in San Antonio and New Braunfels can start tracking their activity in special journals or online and www.gokidschallenge.com.
 All Can Ski Inspires
Eighty individuals with a variety of disabilities were able to experience freedom in motion during All Can Ski, a two-day adaptive water ski event hosted by the San Antonio Sports Foundation at SeaWorld San Antonio last week. The skiers included soldiers recuperating from war injuries at Brook Army Medical Center.
The Sports Foundation partnered with SeaWorld San Antonio, Warm Springs Foundation, Blaze Sports America, Texas Adaptive Aquatics and World Entertainment Services, Inc. to keep alive the tradition of water skiing for persons of all ages with disabilities.
Now in its 16th year, we’re grateful to have the support of many dedicated All Can Ski volunteers and sponsors including MK Prosthetic & Orthotic Services, Alamo Mobility, Metro Ambulance, San Antonio Federal Credit Union, Medrec Therapy Services and Dominion Care Home Health.
View our online photo galleries from the event.
New 3-on-3 Hoops Event a Success
 The Sports Foundation hosted its first indoor 3-on-3 basketball tournament, Streetball Slam fueled by Tesoro, on August 11-12 at the Gonzalez Convention Center. The competition was fierce as boys and girls, men and women of all skill levels battled for gold and silver medals.
Many thanks to Tesoro Corporation, title sponsor of the tournament, and to the other sponsors including Time Warner Cable, Pepsi and the San Antonio Express-News.
View the complete results
Circle of Champions Launches Fundraising Mission
 The San Antonio Sports Foundation is proud to announce the formation of its Circle of Champions, a select group of young professionals who are helping to carry the story of the Sports Foundation to the community. Fifteen members have formed four teams that will promote Sports Foundation membership and meet monthly for networking and leadership opportunities.
The inaugural members of the Sports Foundation's Circle of Champions include these teams:
Cowboy Club -- Sam Beltran, Miner Corp.; Jennifer Broome, WOAI-TV; Christina Erwin, AT&T; Ryan Frames, Wells Fargo Bank
Final Four-- Marc Licon, Coca-Cola; Liza Gonzalez, SA Greater Chamber of Commerce; Jorge Herrera, Law Office of Frank Herrera; Aaron Wood, Frost Bank
Charter Champions -- Ryan Kohnen, Eli Lily Pharmaceuticals; Jeff Skelton, Spectrum Health Clubs; Wes Wilson, Stillwater Bank
Los Toros -- Jim Pitman, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage; Randy Ybarra, Pepsi Bottling Company; Robert Thomas, IKON Office Solutions; and Kelli Larsen, Firstmark Credit Union.
For more information about the Circle of Champions, contact Dorsena Picknell at 210-820-2112 or dpicknell@sanantoniosports.org.
Duck ‘N Dodge
 Don’t dodge your chance to get out and play! You can even come in costume. The San Antonio Sports Foundation is hosting its second annual Duck ‘N Dodge dodgeball tournament on September 29 at Brooks City Base. There are two divisions: the champion team in the Bud Light division (21 & older) wins beer for a year; the champion team in the Powerade division (16 & over) wins Powerade for a year.
Entry fee is $125 per team (up to 8 persons) and the entry deadline is September 26. So grab your co-workers and friends and come join the fun. Duck ‘N Dodge is presented by KENS 5, KISS Radio, the San Antonio Express News, Bud Light and Coca-Cola.
REGISTER NOW!
Go!Kids Victory Lap Celebration
 Mark your calendars for the 2007 Valero Go!Kids Challenge™ Subway Victory Lap Celebration. This family event takes place in the Alamodome on Sunday, Oct. 28 from noon until 4 p.m. Participants in the Valero Go!Kids Challenge are awarded their finishers’ medals and t-shirts. Last year 20,000 children, parents and other family members attended. After walking a celebratory lap, families stayed for a health and fitness fair.
The Sports Foundation invites companies and community youth and sports organizations to be a part of the Subway Victory Lap Celebration by reserving a booth at the fitness fair. For more information, contact Dorsena Picknell at 820-2112 or dpicknell@sanantoniosports.org.
Dora at the Garden
 Through a special partnership with the San Antonio Sports Foundation, participants in the Valero Go!Kids Challenge™ can show their Go!Kids Challenge journal and get $1 off admission price during the “Dora and Diego’s Garden Adventure” exhibit at the San Antonio Botanical Garden (September 2007-February 2008).
Saturday, October 13 is Valero Go!Kids Challenge™ Day at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. Go!Kids can bring their journals and mark their time walking around the beautiful 33-acre garden setting.
The garden exhibit will include interactive activities designed to duplicate the television series’ goals of engaging children to make them active participants in the learning process. Interactive elements include: riddles to get across the Grumpy Old Troll’s Bridge, educational activities around the seeds in Abuela’s Garden, and a place where kids can jump across stepping stones, climb through a hollow log, and more.
The San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston at N. New Braunfels Avenue, is open daily 9am-5pm. All the above-mentioned activities are included in one garden admission price: $6 adults, $3 children, and $4 students, military and seniors. For more information, visit www.sabot.org.
2008 "Big Dance" To Be Led By the CE Group
Over four days next April, San Antonio will get to experience the NCAA’s newest addition to the Final Four experience with plenty of San Antonio flavor. The “Big Dance” is a weekend street party and music festival that will take place in the heart of downtown San Antonio. This free event will be open to the entire community and will give thousands of basketball fans an opportunity to enjoy the Final Four festivities.
San Antonio Sports Foundation and SALOC board member Janet Holliday and her local marketing firm, The CE Group, have officially been awarded the bid to produce the “Big Dance” festival, which will take place April 4 – 7, 2008.
NCAA® General Public Random Ticket Drawing Concludes
 The time has finally arrived!! For all of the loyal Final Four® fans who took part in the 2008 NCAA® random ticket drawing, your notification letter should have been received in August. Men’s Final Four® tickets will be shipped to selected individuals no later than mid-February. Approximately 4,600 tickets have been allocated to the general public through this selection process. Thank you to all who participated in the drawing!
If your letter reflects that you have not been chosen for tickets, there is still an opportunity to purchase a SALOC contributor package. For more information on guaranteed seats, hospitality and great mementos for the 2008 NCAA® Final Four®, please contact Elena Stout.
Volunteer Round-Up Continues
SALOC continues to encourage interested volunteers to visit the new online volunteer registration system to pre-register for the 2008 NCAA® Final Four®. Volunteers registered in the system will receive first notice when official shifts are posted later in the year. SALOC will need nearly 2,000 helpers to roll out the red carpet for Final Four® participants and fans.
Register today!
Staff Updates
The Sports Foundation is pleased to announce that effective September 10, long-time volunteer Myrna Reyes will join our staff as an events manager. She will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame and many other events. Welcome, Myrna!
Dorsena Picknell, director of membership sales, has added event sponsorship sales to her Sports Foundation duties. With a history of working in minor league baseball, Dorsena’s promotion and sales skills will enhance our efforts to maximize sponsorship opportunities.
Champions
Club
Individual
Members at $1,000+
Justin Aglialoro; Dr. Lawrence Anderson; Gary & Shelia Arthur; Rich Attkisson; William Avila; Scott Beckendorf; Col. George Becknell; George P. Becknell, III; Morton Baird; Ralph Bender; James Blackwood; Susan Blackwood; George Block; Carolun Blumit; Diana Braschler; June Bratcher; Howard Burris; Jim Callaway; Jeff Clark; Bud Curtis; Ross & Laura Davis; John Disler; James Doyle; Alan Dreeben; Jim Dublin; Charlie Ebrom; Steve Edlund; Donald Engelhardt; Tally Estrada; David Fevsdahl; Lisa & Frank Fichtel; Buddy Ford; Pat & Kelley Frost; James Gianopoulos; Claude Gilmer; Frank Gittinger; William Greehey; Bob Gurwitz; Bill & Marcia Hanson; Scott Helbing; Ronnie Hengst; George C. Hixon; Janet Holliday; Michael Imbimbo; Steve Isom; Mary & Chuck Japhet, Gary Joeris; Stacey Johnson; Michael Jones; Kent Krauss; Dr. Gary Lawton; Michael J. Lynd, Jr.; Greg & Leigh Ann King; Lowry Mays; James Mickey; Phil Miner; Dr. Edward Mueller; Randel Norris; Kelly O'Connor; Manny Ortiz; Juan Rangel; Bob & Laura Raymond; Tom Reardon; Jim & Katie Reed; Matthew Reedy; Charlie Roberts; Marty Roos; Lynn Roper; Dr. David Schmidt; George Scofield; Daniel Simons; Dr. Earl Smith; Michael Stoltz; Virginia VanSteenberg; Richard Wade; Carri Wells; Jeff Wentworth; Robert Wright, Jr.; Paul Young
Corporate
Champions
City of San Antonio; AT&T
$50,000
IKON Office Solutions; San Antonio Express-News; Time Warner Cable; Valero Energy Corporation
$20,000
Pepsi Bottling
Group; San Antonio Coca-Cola Bottling Co;
$10,000
Budget Car & Truck Rental; Corporate Travel Planners; Enterprise Rent A Car; Flemming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar; Langley & Banack; Maverick Video Production; NuMedia; Paladin IT Services; Spectrum Health Clubs; Sports Medicine Associates of San Antonio
$5,000
The Alamo Travel Group; George Becknell; Bender & Associates; BudCo., Inc.; The CE Group - Communication & Events; ChapmanSchewe Benefits Consulting; Comet Neon Advertising; Core – Mark International, Inc.; Ernst & Young; Frost Bank; H-E-B Grocery Company; The Gambrinus Company; KPMG; Merrill Lynch; Methodist Healthcare System; Miner Corporation; The Plaza Club; RunTex; Security Service Federal Credit Union; Sterling Bank; SWBC; The Trust Company; US Global Investors; Walton Signage; Wells Fargo Bank; Zachry Hospitality, Inc.
$2,500
Accenture LLP; Allegra Print & Imaging; Allied Advertising; Broadway National Bank; C H Guenther & Son; Chelsea’s Sandwiches of Texas Inc.; Colonial Supplemental Insurance; Cox Smith Matthews Incorporated; Don Strange of Texas, Inc.; Ear Medical Group; FIRSTMARK Credit Union; GLI Distributing; Halo Distributing; HMS Host; MassMutual/The South Texas Agency; MarmonMok Architecture; Marriott Plaza San Antonio; Marriott Rivercenter/Riverwalk; Mission Pharmacal; Pape-Dawson Consulting Engineers, Inc.; Republic Beverage Company; San Antonio Economic Development Foundation; Sterling Foods; Tesoro Petroleum Companies; USSA; Yantis Company
Grants/Foundations
The AT&T Foundation; The Alfred S. Gage Foundation; Bexar County Health & Human Services CDBG; Brown Foundation; Charity Ball Foundation; Criminal Justice Division JJDP Grant; Criminal Justice Division Safe and Drug Free Schools Grant; GAC Halff Foundation; Light Foundation; Myra Stafford Pryor Charitable Trust; The Sequor Foundation; David & Betty Sachs Foundation; Smith Barney; USSA Foundation; Women’s Sports Foundation
Founding
Sponsors
City of San Antonio; H-E-B; USAA Foundation,
A Charitable Trust; Valero Energy Corporation
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