University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Athletics Hosts Allianz HopeDay Festival
9/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
The University of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics Department hosted its second-annual HopeDay Festival, today, at the Bierman Track. Over 200 families from the HopeKids organization as well as over 700 student-athletes participated in the four-hour event.
The athletics department and HopeKids started working together in January of 2007 and organize approximately two events per month with Gopher student athletes and kids. Along with the festival, HopeKids and Gopher Athletics have participated in numerous events, including going to the Children's theater, movie night and video-game night.
It looked like the rain would hold up the festivities, but by noon the weather had cleared up just in time for the event. A majority of athletic programs were represented at the festival, each hosting a clinic for their respective sports. The festival included a variety of activities on the infield of the Bierman track, the indoor football facility and the back parking lot. The dunk tank (swimming and diving), miniature golf, stick shooting (hockey) and a basketball net (men’s and women’s basketball) were held in the parking lot, along with food and beverages. Gopher Athletics added a petting zoo, pony rides and meeting their favorite Sesame Street or Star Wars character to this year's event. Inflatable trampolines, rock climbing, interactive games and a game of kickball highlighted the track activities. Goldy Gopher was also there, while the gymnastics team clinic and face-painting took place in the indoor football facility.
"This event gives these kids something to look forward to instead of chemo treatments and surgeries," men's track athlete and HopeDay Festival organizer Luke Silovich said. "With HopeKids, they try and plan things like movies and games to look forward to. This event that we have today is the biggest event of the year. It's great that we are able to be apart of it and have all the student-athletes involved. It shows all of the Gopher athletes how much they can have an impact on the community if they want to."
HopeKids is an organization, which gives hope to children with cancer and other life threatening illnesses and their families via a program of ongoing, highly anticipated events. Founded in September 2001 by Robert R. Cottrell in Phoenix, Ariz., it has recently branched out to chapters in Dallas/Fort Worth and Minneapolis/St. Paul in November of 2006. The Phoenix chapter serves nearly 300 children, while the Minneapolis/St. Paul chapter has already reached 250 kids and their families. A large percentage of the children in the program have already received their one large wish from one of the wish organizations, but their battle continues. Approximately 85 percent of the children in the program have some form of cancer. HopeKids also serves children with other life threatening illnesses including cystic fibrosis, kidney and heart diseases, and blood diseases. HopeKids is for children from birth to 18 years of age and their entire family.
