Bill:
I wanted to update you on the culmination of a season-long program that we have held here at the University of Evansville.
After your contact with Casey Lindeman last February, he came to me with the idea of collecting soccer balls during our current 2008 season in honor and recognition of Nick. The combination of our University of Evansville soccer team and supporters, the Lambda Chi fraternity (which Casey Lindeman is a member) and Tri-State Athletic Club (sponsor of our local event here, which culminated with KICK FOR NICK t-shirts given out to our first 200 fans and a halftime contest with youth soccer players getting the opportunity to kick PK’s at halftime) were able to collect close to 100 balls.
This was our first annual KICK FOR NICK PROGRAM, and we hope to work in this fashion next year as well. If there is anything else that you think would be appropriate to do, please let us know that as well – you can certainly find more information about our programming on our website at www.gopurpleaces.com.
Those balls were shipped to your attention yesterday afternoon, and Fed Ex also helped sponsor this by taking care of our shipping for us. I hope the box(es) of balls reach you safely, and that they are able to properly carry on the name and work of Nick. His story is a motivating one for everyone that it touches, and we have shown the ESPN piece to our team in order to give them the proper perspective of what we were doing – we stress the idea of being a part of something bigger than themselves, and clearly, your son’s memory embodies that philosophy.
On a separate note, the event we had was personalized when a former neighbor and family friend – Katie Sachetti – had contacted me to let me know that she had moved to Evansville, IN from Wilton, CT two years ago. I know that she had forwarded me an email correspondence that she had with your wife, and I hope that she was able to share some of the experiences she had at our KICK FOR NICK NIGHT last week (Katie and her children were in attendance).
Please stay in touch, and if there is ever anything we can do to help, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Yours in soccer,
Mike Jacobs
University of Evansville
Head Soccer Coach
