Fews expect 4th event to soar past $1 million
Having raised just more than $850,000 in their first three Coaches vs. Cancer BasketBall Gala and Golf Classic events, Gonzaga University men’s basketball coach Mark Few and his wife, Marcy, expect to breeze past the $1 million mark at this year’s fourth-annual fund-raising affair.
On hand to help make it happen will be Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, who has agreed to take part in this year’s two-day golf outing and gala, which will be held Aug. 26-27.
“We got the idea from Jim and his wife, Juli,” explained Marcy Few, who flew back to Syracuse, N.Y., with her husband late last month to attend Boeheim’s Coaches vs. Cancer event, “so having them come to ours is something special.”
Expected to join Boeheim on this year’s list of celebrity coaches are Oklahoma’s Kelvin Sampson, Utah’s Ray Giacoletti, Minnesota’s Dan Monson and Eastern Washington’s Mike Burns. Among former coaches expected to attend are Jud Heathcote, Don Monson and Fran Fraschilla, who serves as a college basketball analyst for ESPN.
The early list of celebrity invitees includes former GU standouts Dan Dickau, Richie Frahm and Blake Stepp; former Washington State and NBA star Craig Ehlo, who does color commentary for Seattle SuperSonics telecasts; former Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien; and former Olympian decathlete Dan O’Brien.
This year’s Golf Classic will feature a round of golf and dinner at Spokane Country Club on Friday and another round of golf at Indian Canyon Golf Course on Saturday morning, followed by the BasketBall Gala that evening.
ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas will serve as master of ceremonies at the Gala, with television sports personality Roy Firestone and Las Vegas-based singer Andrew James providing entertainment. An auction, featuring sports memorabilia and travel packages, will be held following Saturday night’s dinner, and the evening will conclude with a dance and live music.
Northern Quest Casino is once again the title sponsor for this year’s event, which was moved up from mid-September to avoid basketball recruiting conflicts.
“This is the first time we’ve tried the last Saturday in August,” Marcy Few said, “and we’ve had a very favorable response from coaches.”
According to her, only about 100 tickets, priced at $300 per person, remain for the BasketBall Gala.
Anyone interested in a corporate sponsorship or purchasing tickets for the Gala is asked to contact Debi Gallagher at 242-8291. For more information on the Golf Classic, contact Jerid Keefer at 242-8300.