Dick Vitale confident Friday's 18th Annual Gala will set new mark for money raised
SARASOTA — If records are made to be broken, then one may be able to add “record-breaker” to Dick Vitale’s long list of accomplishments.
After raising a record $11.1 million at last year’s Dick Vitale Gala, the 83-year-old ESPN college basketball analyst and Lakewood Ranch resident questioned whether this year’s event could even approach that total.
With Friday night’s 18th Annual Dick Vitale Gala set to convene at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, it appears Vitale can question no more.
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“Based on our early numbers,” he said, “we feel confident that our sold out crowd of 900 will not let us down and that we will establish a new record, breaking last year’s amazing $11.1 million raised for pediatric cancer research through the V Foundation.”
Another $11 million raised would bring the total for the 18 galas to nearly $66 million. The final tally will include a donation of more than $1 million from Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik.
The total includes a $100,000 sponsorship of the Gala. Vinik and his wife now have donated nearly $5 million to the Foundation.
Gala to honor Robinson, Posey, and McEnroe brothers
This year’s Gala will honor NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson, former San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, and ex-tennis players and current ESPN tennis commentators John and Patrick McEnroe.
Former N.C. State basketball star Dereck Whittenburg, who played for Jim Valvano on the Tar Heels’ 1983 national championship team, will receive the John Saunders Award. And Tennessee Volunteer men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes will receive the Dickie V Spirit Award.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Dick Vitale confident 18th Annual Gala will set fundraising record
