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Join today and get a $50 dinner! As a Sports Commission member, you'll receive a $50 gift certificate in return for your membership! Your membership support is 100% tax deductible as a charitable or business expense. Join today!
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February 2007 Newsletter
by Mr. Kevin M. Gray, President The Kansas City Sports Commission & Foundation has hit 2007 in full-stride. Our recent 15th. Annual Baseball Forecast Luncheon drew nearly 600 attendees and our 13th Annual Women’s Sports Award Celebration was again sold out.
WIN for KC is Changing our CommunityIn 1994 we launched WIN for KC as a volunteer program to promote, recognize and expand sports participation opportunities for girls and women in the Greater Kansas City area. With no other city in America focusing on this initiative, we were confident the program would expand the overall effectiveness of the organization and have a positive effect on our community. The positive energy surrounding WIN for KC is contagious and we remain pleased with the growth of this important community initiative. New InitiativesWe have several new initiatives that we believe will bolster economic vitality, youth development and leadership opportunities in Kansas City for the future. The SportKC on-line initiative and membership-development efforts have created a substantial database of information, helping us to raise thousands of dollars for our community non-profit partners such as Race for the Cure, Brain Injury Association, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Children’s Mercy Hospital, CCVI and many more. We are also unveiling an inaugural golf event, The Grigs Classic, named after legendary sports broadcaster Bill Grigsby, this summer in conjunction with the Convention and Visitor’s Association, saluting sports and tourism. Thanks to a recent generous gift, we have established a youth program fund which will help support our current youth events initiatives (Camp WIN, Annual Negro Leagues Baseball Classic) as well as allowing us to work with the donor’s family to create new opportunities. Charting our Organization’s CourseIn the coming months, in conjunction with our Board of Directors, we will be holding strategic planning sessions led by our chair, Ken Hager and Tom Murphy. The sessions will allow us to outline our organizational objectives, assess the most vital needs of our organization in relation to the Greater Kansas City community, and prepare a new agenda of goals and priorities to carry us through the next 3-5 years. At the end of the day, our primary interest remains strengthening our collaborative efforts with our sponsors and partnerships to host and support local, regional and national amateur & professional sporting opportunities – so that our goals are manifested. ________________________________________________________________ MIAA & NAIA Tournaments Return to Municipal Auditorium The MIAA Men’s & Women’s Basketball Tournament will return to Kansas City, MO for their conference tournament at Municipal Auditorium March 1st -4th. Currently University (NWMSU), and Emporia State University (ESU) are all in the Top 25 of the Division II Men’s Coaches Poll. Missouri Western, Washburn and Emporia State are in the Top 25 of the Division II Women’s Coaches Poll. Come and be a part of the action and root for your favorite teams. Show your Sports Commission membership card at the box office and receive a single session ticket for only $5. The MIAA is currently looking for volunteers for this year’s tournament. If you’re interested contact Natasha Oakes @ 913.754.0444 or by e-mail: noakes@themiaa.com The 70th Annual Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship will also be held at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, MO, March 14th-20. Park University is currently the only local team in the NAIA Division I Top 25, ranked No.8. Enjoy great college basketball action at Kansas City’s oldest tournament and receive a $10 discount on your All-Tournament tickets by presenting your Sports Commission membership card. For more information about this year’s tournament, contact our Director of Membership & Development, Jay Wilson @ 816.474.4652, ext.233, or check out the NAIA website: www.naiahoopskc.org. We look forward to seeing you at both of these great tournaments in Kansas City! ________________________________________________________________ WIN for KC Reading & Fitness Challenge Pairs Reading with Fitness for Youth The 9th Annual WIN for KC Reading & Fitness Challenge will be held Friday, March 2nd at 10:00am at Bartle Hall. This event, one of WIN for KC’s most successful youth initiatives, brings thousands of students (grades 3-8) together who have completed specific requirements for both reading and fitness activities. At the event, students and their teachers will report on their success during the program. As part of the Challenge, students were asked to read 10 books and complete at least one month of fitness activities described on the WIN for KC fitness calendar. All student participants will receive a free book from Scholastic, a pedometer, a Sonic treat coupon, and will attend a game of the MIAA Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament! Click here for more information on the Reading Challenge program! ________________________________________________________________ Spring is just around the corner and it’s time again for you to join over 2,000 walkers and runners full of St. Patrick's Day spirit in this 4-mile run and walk in the heart of Westport! Bring the whole family to participate and be creative. Wear green or your favorite wacky Irish costume, and don't miss the Kids Fun Run before heading off to Westport bars, The St. Patrick’s Day Run benefits the Redemptorist Social Services Center and the Sports Commission, and is one of the longest-running events of its kind in Kansas City. Get registration details and general information now online, or call our Director of Special Events, Kevin Wicker @ 816.474.4652, ext.228. We look forward to seeing you all at the event and don’t forget to wear your green! ________________________________________________________________ Top Innovations, Inc. joined the Kansas City Sports Commission last month as a platinum member.-level member. Top Innovations is owned by Benny Lee, who This long-time Kansas City company distributes a variety of products, ranging from sports training equipment to steam cleaners. Mr. Lee has teamed up with the Sports Commission to help increase their presence in the athletic community in Kansas City, where his sales and production team’s are currently concentrating, with the hope of growing their new equipment line locally, as well as at the national level. The company’s newest product, the “Sports Stride”, helps athletes to improve their lower body strength and conditioning, as well as their overall speed. The Sports Stride is a versatile piece of training equipment that can be used while training on the field or while walking around the office. Prior to his recent work with Top Innovations, Benny owned and operated a successful trading company in Taiwan. Benny’s trading company has been involved in many successful ventures over the past twenty years. Products such as the "Ginsu Knife” that became one of the most recognized brand names in the U.S.A., the "Handy Stitch" by Singer, and many other popular products have been sold by Benny Lee’s trading company. Top Innovations is currently working on other sports-training products, and if you would like to learn more about this great Kansas City company and the products they offer, click here to find the Top Innovations button on our web site. |
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the University of Central Missouri (UCM), Northwest Missouri State 
restaurants, and shops around lunchtime!
founded the company in 1987.