Eastern Illinois University Athletics

On behalf of Eastern Illinois University, I would like to express my gratitude to each and every stakeholder of EIU Athletics who made a contribution to our program in 2009. Whether you purchased season tickets, participated in a Panther Club golf outing, made a contribution to the Spring Fling, attended our Country Night at the Rosebud Theatre in Effingham, or fulfilled your annual Panther Club pledge, our success on and off the field was a byproduct of your generous support.

I want to call special attention to our “Result of the LAIR Fund” branding program. Now in its second year, this program continues to highlight the quality student-athletes you choose to support at EIU. Our annual campaign was renamed the LAIR Fund in an effort to associate "giving" with providing opportunity for our outstanding young people.

Your Panther Club membership, via the annual donation to the LAIR Fund, symbolizes more than a tax deduction and premium benefits—it represents your commitment to developing champions who demonstrate everyday each attribute that defines the LAIR (Leadership, Achievement, Integrity, and Responsibility).

Through numerous hospitality events and donor visits around the state and nationally, I have had the opportunity to meet hundreds of EIU Athletics stakeholders who are so greatly vested in the future of our program. The camaraderie of Panther Nation is second to none and the generosity of our donors is unparalleled.

With all of this positive momentum surrounding EIU Athletics, the timing is right to raise the bar. We have set a strategic goal of 2,010 Panther Club members in 2010. This means we roughly need to double our donor base. Through our “2,010 in 2010” annual campaign, we’re encouraging current donors to not only renew their annual contribution, but to hit the recruiting trail. If all of our current Panther Club members recruited one new donor, we would surpass our goal. It’s that simple!

We are making a concerted effort to locate and target as many proud EIU fans, alumni, and former student-athletes as we can to expand Panther Nation to “2,010 in 2010.” Although I wish I had the capability to meet each and every one of you personally to garner your support, the truth is I do not. We need to hear from you. If you do not receive Panther Club correspondence in the mail this month, it means we do not have your updated contact information.

If this is the case, please contact us immediately to express your interest in getting involved—contact Joel Moersch, our Assistant Athletic Director for Development, at (217) 581-5861 or jcmoersch@eiu.edu, with any questions pertaining to our “2,010 in 2010” annual campaign.

I am proud to be a Panther and know you are too. I look forward to seeing you at upcoming athletics events, and, as always, appreciate everything that you do in supporting EIU Athletics and our 460 student-athletes.