NASHVILLE – Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam on Wednesday partnered with five-time National Football League MVP Peyton Manning to raise awareness and funds for The Pat Summitt Foundation, financing research, treatment and support for those facing Alzheimer’s disease. Both a lunch event at Wellspire Nashville and a private, ticketed dinner held Wednesday at the Tennessee Residence together raised more than $550,000 to benefit the fund established by the late head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteer basketball team, Pat Summitt.
“It is an honor to work so closely with the Foundation to continue to pay homage to Pat’s winning legacy,” Manning said. “Pat meant a great deal to me, and as her friend, I know she would be especially proud of these efforts and those of the Foundation every day in the fight to end Alzheimer’s.” Manning serves as Honorary Co-Chair of the Pat Summitt Foundation and was a close personal friend of the late coach. For the second consecutive year he was integral in planning both fundraisers.
The first event was a luncheon hosted by Wellspire, a luxury event venue and leadership development center in the Gulch neighborhood of Nashville. Supported by Hall of Fame sponsor HCA/Tri-Star Health, as well as Champion sponsors Ingram Industries Inc., Pinnacle Financial Partners and Wiley Brothers–Aintree Capital LLC, Wellspire hosted 200 of Nashville’s leaders for an intimate discussion with Peyton and his father, Archie Manning. The event was moderated by Mike Keith, senior director of broadcasting for the Tennessee Titans.
The evening’s event, hosted by Governor and First Lady Haslam at the Tennessee Executive Residence, featured a Haslam-moderated chat with the Manning father-son duo, a live auction and a performance from country artist Luke Bryan. The Brett Boyer Foundation, a cause close to Bryan’s heart, also benefitted from the affair. Manning presented a $10,000 check to the Brett Boyer Foundation as a surprise from The Pat Summitt Foundation in appreciation of Bryan’s contributions to the event.
“Crissy and I feel fortunate to be part of this effort for the second year,” Gov. Haslam remarked. “The Pat Summitt Foundation is an incredible organization doing groundbreaking Alzheimer’s research in honor of one of Tennessee’s most legendary leaders and we are proud to support its work.”
The foundation awards grants to non-profit organizations that provide research, education and awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as support services to patients, their families, and caregivers. The fund also endows an annual grant of $500,000 to help fund The Pat Summitt Clinic at The University of Tennessee Medical Center, a state-of-the-art, multi-disciplinary Alzheimer’s clinic. The combined amount raised yesterday through both events exceeds the $500,000 needed for the 2018 clinic grant, a notable achievement.
“On behalf of The Pat Summitt Foundation, we are so grateful to Peyton, Archie, Governor and First Lady Haslam, Luke Bryan and to Wellspire for the significant contributions to this year’s fruitful events,” said Patrick Wade, executive director of the foundation. “The work we do in Pat’s honor will flourish thanks to the awareness and funds raised through these successful events.”
Photo: from left, Archie Manning, Peyton Manning, Luke Bryan and Governor Bill and First Lady Haslam.
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