Contact: Bruce Conley, News Information Director
Phone: (605) 274-5526
Fax: (605) 274-4903
e-mail: bruce_conley@augie.edu
www.augie.edu

January 21, 2004

Augustana Student-Athlete Committee Working to Grant a Child's Wish

SIOUX FALLS - They don't have a magic wand, but Augustana's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee wants to make a child's wish come true.

To do so, they have formed a plan that includes basketball, comfortable courtside seating, and free refreshments. The project's code name is "Head-Honcho Seats" and all the money raised goes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Dakota.

At each of Augie's remaining North Central Conference home basketball games, members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will be selling raffle tickets for $1 each. Two drawings will be held during the night, and the winners will watch a portion of the women's and men's games from a loveseat located courtside in the Elmen Center's Hall Sports Forum. Valentino's Restaurant will treat the winners to free pizza and soda. Winners will also be eligible to win the loveseat, donated by South Dakota Furniture Mart, when it is raffled off during the final conference game of the season on February 21.

Angela Mattke (Spicer, MN) and Matt McDougall (Volga, SD) serve as co-chairs of the Augustana Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Dave Medema (Sioux Falls, Washington) and Aaron Graumann (Sioux Falls, Roosevelt) head the "Head-Honcho Seats" committee.

The Augustana project is part of a nationwide effort by all Divisions of the NCAA to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America.

Since 1984, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Dakota has been making very special wishes come true for South Dakota children facing life-threatening medical conditions. The South Dakota chapter is part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, the world's largest wish granting organization with 75 chapters in the United States and 27 international affiliates on five continents.

The South Dakota chapter grants wishes of each referred and eligible child in the state. Each year, wishes are granted to approximately 50 plus children at an average cost of $5,000 each.

Augustana's effort began the weekend of January 9-10 when the Vikings hosted the University of Nebraska-Omaha and the University of South Dakota.

"It went really well," said Mattke.

Augustana's remaining home NCC Games:

• January 23 - North Dakota State, 6:00 & 8:00 p.m.
• January 24 - North Dakota, 6:00 & 8:00 p.m.
• February 7 - South Dakota State, 6:00 & 8:00 p.m.
• February 20 - Minnesota State Mankato, 6:00 & 8:00 p.m.
• February 21 - St. Cloud State, 6:00 & 8:00 p.m.

Augustana College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee 2003-2004