L-R: RFTC Marcia Richards & Lori Inskeep, Komen Director of Development Gina Berg, Director of Grantmaking Jill Adams, Director of Finance Julie Zaveral, RFTC Jo Shattuck & Linda Mojer (view#2)

! THE EVENT LINEUP !

View Channel 9 interview footage with Jo Shattuck

Thursday 5:00 pm Men's Shootout Friday 5:00 pm Mixed Doubles Saturday 7:40 am Women's Team Play   Awards Party & Prize Drawings

Chilean superstar Angela Grisar is one of the strongest and fittest players on the women's pro tour. Known for her wicked backhand stroke and high flying leaps, Grisar reached the semi-finals of the 2007 US OPEN, charged up the leader board and currently holds the #3 spot in the world. Grisar accepted singles challenges, along with local pro Jo Shattuck (WPRO #9), and also gave instructional clinics and played exhibition matches throughout the weekend.

Ninth Denver Founding Event
Denver Athletic Club
January 31 - February 2
by Linda Mojer

After squaring up all the bills and accounting, Racquet for the Cure organizers were pleased to present a check for $6,700 to the Denver Affiliate of Komen for the Cure on February 21. The handoff marked the second most successful fundraising year for the founding event and brought the tournament's cumulative nine-year donation total to $40,000. The benchmark also sets the perfect goal for Denver's 10th anniversary year, with hopes of adding another $10,000 in 2009 to reach $50,000 at the decade mark.

The 9th Annual Racquet for the Cure Benefit Tournament had concluded on February 2 in the Mile-High City, when organizers wrapped-up another successful fundraiser for the Denver affiliate of Komen for the Cure. This renewal of commitment on the part of Colorado players, sponsors and volunteers was uplifting and inspirational in many ways - and set the tone for next year's 10th anniversary celebration!

For the fourth consecutive year, the benefit fundraiser was hosted by the Denver Athletic Club, with a Men's Singles Shootout and Mixed Doubles Benefit leading off the lineup of special events.

The standard all-day-Saturday "women's only" team championship was the centerpiece of this long-running event, with a full, single day of competition, fun, friendship, food and fundraising for a great cause. All Racquet for the Cure events benefit the Denver Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, to aid in finding for a cure for breast cancer.

9News Footage ... Susie Wargin of Denver NBC affiliate KUSA spoke with Jo Shattuck in an early morning interview to promote RFTC. View the footage online ...  

Local color ... DAC member Lindita Torres-Winters is a Denver celebrity who hosts a  weekly cooking show on PBS affiliate KBDI. The February 2 edition of “Linditas Kitchen” featured a one-on-one interview with Lindita and Jo Shattuck, filmed at the Denver Athletic Club.

Everybody Wins! Players ended the long Saturday of play with an Awards Dinner and prize drawing, making prize selections from a wide range of donated merchandise and services like: racquets, bags, gloves, clothing, accessories, hotel and spa packages, plus much, much MORE!

A special stay at Beaver Run was drawn for Rich Leduc, of DAC. That spring ski weekend was donated by Geoff Peters of Chicago — who offered his 2-bedroom condo to the RFTC fundraiser (for either the weekend of April 11-12 or April 18-19, 2008). To go along with that stay, local Denver player Cindy Tilbury also kicked in some lift tickets. That prize can be claimed from Jo Shattuck at the Denver Athletic Club.

Coincidentally, Peters had been on hand to play in the Mixed Doubles fundraiser on Friday night, and bought a couple of raffle squares ... and won a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses. A second pair went to Diane Wilkison, a complete instruction and golf equipment package went to women's open singles winner Deb Beldring, a pair of AVs tickets went to event photographer John Foust, and the silver RFTC pendant went to the "Andrew & Ginny" square (hand delivered by Shirley Parsons).

Congratulations to all the winners — including everyone who selected from among the equipment & accessories lineup provided by generous sponsors — and thanks to everyone who took part in the drawings to raise funds for the Denver affiliate of Komen for the Cure.

Men's Singles & Mixed Doubles
Colorado Men! For a benefit donation, you'll be able to play a sanctioned singles shootout on Thursday night (with the possibility of later finals), plus have a chance to pair up with your favorite partner for mixed doubles play on Friday.

Both evening benefits will begin at 5:00 (until ?), and entries will be "first come-first served" to maximums. Doubles will be limited to the first 14 teams to enter.

Women's Only Saturday ...
Colorado Women! Your amateur entry will include all-day Saturday team play, plus ... a souvenir t-shirt on check-in, all day hospitality (snacks, beverages, breakfast, lunch & dinner), non-stop competition, coaching, clinics, pro viewing and instruction, banquet, awards, guest speakers, plus the feel-good knowledge that your racquet IS at work "for the cure."

• Format: Women enter one skill division and are randomly assigned to a team that will compete by division for point earnings. In satellite draws that go all day, points are earned for every match played.
• Doubles: Open/A and B/C players will be paired for doubles, and earn points for their team.
• Officiating: All matches are self-officiated.
• Schedule: The single-day format is based on the total number of entries, so matches may begin as early as 7:00 am on Saturday. The schedule can't accomodate conflicts, so be prepared to play all day (through 6:00 pm) and then attend the Award Party and prize-drawing. It's a non-stop, full day of fun racquetball for women only!

Annual Celebration ... At the closing party, players select from a wide range of donated merchandise and services like: racquets, bags, gloves, clothing, accessories, hotel and spa packages, plus much, much MORE!