First Annual Event Raises $4,500
Peoria's first annual Racquet for the Cure (RFTC) tournament was held on August 27, 2005 and hosted by Landmark Racquet & Health Club, Peoria, IL. This one-day fundraising racquetball event was held in support of the Peoria Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The foundation was established in 1982 to help fight breast cancer by funding research grants and supporting education, screening and treatment projects in communities around the world.

Photos courtesy Jim Maroon. Click on images for larger views. Gail, Shelley, Lisa & Monica getting ready to play doubles. Denver's Jean Gallagher & Marcia Richards join Naperville local Cheryl Kirk in resting before play. Committee consists of Terry Sutton, Jim Maroon, Karen Carter, Joann Kempthorne, Pam Schubach & Traci Steen (not shown). Kelly & Marcia with glasses from banquet centerpiece. Banquet followed tournament play with a live band and bellydancers for entertainment.

The first RFTC was established in Denver in 2000 to further benefit the foundation. In the past six years, the Denver-based events have raised over $20,000. The idea for having a RFTC in Peoria came when Jim Maroon attended an Ektelon Team meeting during the USA Racquetball National Singles Championships in Houston, Texas at the end of May 2005. Ektelon pro player, Kerri Wachtel and Team Ektelon Advisor, Cheryl Kirk gave a presentation on the Denver RFTC and suggested others should do the same. This influenced Jim to bring RFTC to Peoria. Doug Holmes, General Manager, and Terry Sutton, Racquetball Director of Landmark found this to be a good idea and gave Jim the go ahead to begin organizing the tournament. The Susan G. Komen Foundation gave us the necessary approvals. A committee was immediately formed and the tournament scheduled.

The goals for the Peoria event were simple, 1. raise money for breast cancer research and 2. have a fun-filled event. In order to achieve these goals, a Planning & Fundraising Committee, consisting of Jim Maroon & Pam Schubach (co-directors), Terry Sutton, Traci Steen, Karen Carter and Joann Kempthorne, set objectives to have 50 players enter the tournament and raise between $4,000 and $5,000. Both goals were accomplished. We also had an Advisory Committee consisting of Cheryl Kirk & Laurel Davis (Chicago), Kelly Carter (Bloomington), Larry Boyer (Decatur), Karin Flowers (Springfield) and Dan Curless & Kurt Mankle (Peoria) to get their input and pass the word at their local clubs. We also received guidance from Jean Gallagher of the Denver RFTC.

The format was a one-day racquetball tournament with Women's Singles, Women's Doubles, and to include the men, Mixed Doubles. We had 51 players from throughout the Midwest and Colorado consisting of 34 women and 17 men. In total, we had 84 entries. This successful event was able to generate $4,500. A check was presented to Linda Maricle, Program Director of the Peoria Memorial Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation by Terry, Pam and Jim.

We had a full day of racquetball with many women playing in three events. Match play began at 8 AM Saturday morning and concluded at 8 PM Saturday night. Many companies and individuals were sponsors donating money and items to assist with trophies and the silent auction. These include – Gold Sponsors ($1,000+) Ektelon and Carter Law Offices, Silver Sponsors ($500+) Maui Jim, Wilson, F. Michael Schubach-Advanced Asset Management, Illini Golf, Rhythm Kitchen & Music Café and Landmark Racquet & Health Club, Bronze Sponsors ($250+) Steiger Farms, Dr. Michael Veeder, YWCA-Peoria, Rave Motion Pictures, Mitchell Family Trust, Bremer Jewlry, Executive Tans, Pepsi and Hamburg Distributing. Numerous sponsors donated gift certificates so that upon entering the tournament, all women were given a bag full of coupons, etc. and a stylish pink ENZA Ladies V-neck Tee with the RFTC logo and gold embroidered lettering. The men received a black T-shirt in their choice of short sleeve or a sleeveless tank top with the RFTC logo. Door prizes were drawn during the day. Everyone took home a door prize...all attending were winners!!!

The Rhythm Kitchen & Music Cafe provided a variety of delicious soups and sandwiches for lunch. These foods were complimented by fruit and yogurt from Cub Foods. Kitchen Cooked provided potato chips and pretzels for the day. Pepsi provided soda, Hamburg Distributing provided water and Landmark served the banquet meal.

After the tournament, an awards banquet, slide show, silent auction and dance was held. Guest speakers included Linda Maricle, Program Director of the Peoria Memorial Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Dr. Michael Veeder, Director of Oncology at Oncology-Hematology Association, Pam Schubach, CEO of Peoria YWCA, Jean Gallagher and Marcia Richards, Denver RFTC and Jim Maroon, Peoria RFTC.

Every woman attending the banquet was given a fresh pink carnation provided by Leo's Flowers. Banquet tables were decorated consisting of pink balloons, flowers and pink athletic shoes. The evening gala was a lot of fun capped off with a great meal, live music and dancing. Live entertainment was provided by the Soggy Bottom Blues Band (SB3) and belly dancing by Pava's Gems dance troupe. WHOI-TV (ABC) was on hand to produce a story which was aired on the Saturday evening news.

Thanks to support of our sponsors, the tournament players, the Planning and Fundraising committee, the Advisory Committee and the many volunteers for making this event a success! Plans are underway for the 2nd Annual Racquet for the Cure tournament in Peoria to help fight breast cancer which will be a two day event on August 25 & 26, 2006.