Professional Tennis Players and Legends Team to Launch 10th Anniversary of Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation
Legacy Villas Desert Smash Presented by Jaguar and Land Rover Benefiting the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation heats up effort to support brain tumor patients and their families.
La Quinta, CA (PRWEB) February 9, 2005 -- Fourteen-time Grand Slam tennis champion Pete Sampras and 2004 Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova headline a roster of present and former athletes at Legacy Villas Desert Smash Presented by Jaguar and Land Rover Benefiting the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation, March 9-10, 2005 at La Quinta Resort & Club.
The event launches the 10-year anniversary of the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation which was founded by tennis professionals Tim & Tom Gullikson and their families after Tim was diagnosed with brain tumors in 1995. At the time of diagnosis, Tim Gullikson was coach to then No. 1 ranked Sampras.
A tennis pro-am and exhibition kicks off Legacy Villas Desert Smash on Wednesday, March 9, and will be followed by a cocktail party and silent auction and gala dinner and live auction hosted by sports commentator and writer, Bud Collins. Joe Pesci, an Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actor for his role in GoodFellas and noted actor in such films as Raging Bull and the Lethal Weapon series, will host a golf pro-am, March 10.
TENacious Teamwork" is the theme of The Legacy Villas Desert Smash and the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundations 10-year fund raising efforts. It reflects the dedicated collaboration of health, sports and entertainment professionals who have helped to develop and contribute to programs that assist brain tumor patients and their families with the physical, emotional and social challenges of the disease.
The Foundation has done such a wonderful job at keeping Tims vision firmly intact and I have no doubt that they will continue to do so," Sampras said.
Other tennis professionals who are scheduled to participate in Legacy Villas Desert Smash are the top-ranked doubles team Bob & Mike Bryan, Todd Martin, Olympic silver medalist Mardy Fish, Grand Slam champion Jennifer Capriati, James Blake, Xavier Malisse and British sensation, Tim Henman.
Foundation Chairman, Tom Gullikson said that it was just like Tim to think of others when he was served the biggest challenge of his life. Tim said if someone had to face something as serious as brain tumors, it was good that it was him because he had tremendous support from family and friends," Tom Gullikson said.
He reverted to a coachs role. Tim believed in incorporating the principles of team-building, mental attitude development and coaching on how to best treat and live with the illness to create a source where patients and families could go for information and fill a gap in doctors offices."
Event Director, Ryan Macaulay, a longtime supporter of the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation, said that hes pleased to be a part of a dedicated group that is recognizing the organizations first decade.
We're thrilled that La Quinta and so many players have committed to support the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation as it celebrates its 10th year," Macaulay said. With such busy schedules, we're grateful for them giving their time to help support brain tumor patients and their families by participating in Legacy Villas Desert Smash."
Legacy Villas Desert Smash coincides with the Pacific Life Open professional tournament at nearby Indian Wells Tennis Garden, which features the top-ranked ATP and WTA tour players.
Although Tim Gullikson died on May 3, 1996, his legacy lives on. Ten years and more than $3 million dollars later, the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation awards scholarships to college-bound students whose lives have been affected by brain tumors; supports research regarding quality of life issues that confront brain tumor patients; provides camp scholarships to children who are brain tumor survivors to attend Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times; funds brain tumor networking groups and social workers on the East and West coasts and in the Midwest who have developed social service programs for, and provide support via a toll-free telephone line and the Internet, to brain tumor patients and caregivers.
The Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation further played an instrumental role in developing the Brain Tumor Family Support Center at Duke University Medical Center, a model support program for large teaching hospitals.
The Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation.
Those who wish to obtain more information about Legacy Villas Desert Smash may call (310) 562-7316.
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