2007 Event Recap

More than $33,500 raised in 2007!

From our planning committee’s perspective, it’s amazing how fast a year can pass. The run-up to our event always goes so fast, especially in the last few weeks before tournament day, and then the day itself has so many moving pieces that it goes by so fast… and then we’re left waiting another 365 days until the next one. We had a lot of really exciting things happen this year, and we’d like to share a brief recap of some of these things with you.  To the right, a photo of David Busta with Chetek's Cunningham brothers, an instrumental part of the tournament's officiating crew this year.

First things first though - we have a preliminary total of more than $31,000 raised this year, bringing our five-year cumulative total to over $142,000 and almost $126,000 for the Waisman Center in the last four years. We say this year in, year out, but to have raised this level of money in just five years has us all amazed. While the event takes place in a town of 2,200 people, our "community" of friends, family and supporters spreads far beyond Chetek, WI to include individuals, companies and organizations from thousands of miles away. A very special thank you to everyone that makes this event possible – from our annual major and friend sponsors, to the generous auction bidders, to all of the players and spectators that give us a reason to gather to watch some good basketball, our cause would be nothing without your support!  

The basketball tournament was a great success again this year too. Every year brings some new faces to the tournament, and few old ones “retire” from the sport and become volunteers and/or spectators. Team Ganske, returning men’s champion, came back with a loaded team but faced a tough, first-round elimination by Team Sorenson. Team Sorenson ended up facing Team Cowley in the men’s championship, and Cowley got the victory – a great, back-and-forth game for the most part. In the women's bracket, Team (Sarah) Paulson’s team took the championship this year. Those of us on the planning committee think the recent addition of the women's division has provided a tremendous boost to the tournament. A special thanks to all the men’s and women’s teams that bring such great sportsmanship to our event, and we'll look forward to seeing you all again next year! 

November 9, 2007 marked an exciting day for our event by having Barb McCarthy of the UW Foundation and Jason Weick, a lead post-doctoral scientist at the Waisman Center who works in the lab with a 1-hour presentation at Chetek’s Senior Center on the Waisman Center’s recent progress. We were very pleased with the turnout and participation, and both Jason and Barb were able to answer several questions about the Waisman Center’s embryonic stem cell research. Then, November 20, 2007 saw a very exciting national announcement about the UW’s progress in this area. James Thomson, the scientist who started the UWs presence in this area in 1998, has recently used a virus to deliver four select genes into human skin cells, which triggered the cells to revert to their embryonic state. This is a significant discovery because it may eliminate the ethical debate over stem-cell research – please visit the following link to learn more: 

http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/index.php?ntid=257876&ntpid=1 

This announcement has us all very excited because it shows we’re affiliated with a group in the Waisman Center that’s not only a leader in this area, but one that’s committed toward finding a cure for issues like spinal cord injuries, ALS, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s the right way. Our group couldn’t be more excited to be affiliated with them, and we also know how much the Waisman Center appreciates our ongoing support.  Put Saturday, November 29, 2008 on your calendars next year – we’re excited to continue our annual legacy, and look forward to your ongoing support of our event. 

Happy Holidays, 

- The Busta Planning Committee