2008 Steering Committee

Jared White Beau James Brock Chad Hamilton Connie Frank Soong Shelly Reynolds

Mark Percle Barry Searles Liz Jenkins Herman Soong, M.D. Debbie Schott Gwen Harmon

Robby Economides Connie Caldwell Arno Brunswik Katherine Brock

2^nd Annual Aquinas League Classic Netted $26,000 for area charities!

March 10, 2008

Last weekend, March 6-9, 2008, Southern Oaks Athletic Club hosted the 2^nd Annual 2008 Aquinas League Classic to benefit ten (10) area charities including Unlocking Autism, Grief Recovery Center, Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge, Canine Companions for Independence, Boudreaux's Animal Rescue Krewe, Downs Syndrome Awareness Group, Gulf Coast Teaching Family Services, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, YMCA Total Tennis, and Greater Baton Rouge Hope Academy. This charity tennis event in Baton Rouge netted over $26,000 with 240 players participating.

Herman Soong, M.D., and Jared White were Tournament Co-Chairpersons. Johnny Little and Beau Brock were Tournament Co-Directors. Southern Oaks Athletic Club (SOAC) was the host facility for the event for second straight year drawing rave reviews for its newly upgraded facility. Play was also conducted at the Paula G. Manship YMCA Lamar Tennis Center.

The charities individual net proceeds from the event to date are as follows:

Unlocking Autism - $6,642

Grief Recovery Center - $5,794

Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge - $748

Canine Companions for Independence - $4,013

Boudreaux's Animal Rescue Krewe - $2,502

Downs Syndrome Awareness Group - $2,123

Gulf Coast Teaching Family Services - $268

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International - $593

YMCA Total Tennis - $433

Greater Baton Rouge Hope Academy - $3,973

The festivities started with a team auction and kick-off party on Thursday night at Southern Oaks. Rhonda Bonsignore and Andrea Grenier were awarded their 2007 Aquinas League MVP awards from the previous year's event. Qdoba Mexican Grill in Town Centre donated loads of their fresh Mexican burrito bar cuisine for the evening which everyone devoured heartily.

Abita Beer, Fiji Water, Pepsi-Cola Company, and Red Bull provided refreshments all weekend. On Friday night, Carrabba's Italian Grill donated a Lenten dinner of grilled salmon on-site, pasta and a salad and players enjoyed the meal in between playing tennis at SOAC. A silent auction with over 250 items collected by the charities was begun and was located inside the SOAC clubhouse during the weekend. On Saturday at lunch, Serrano's Salsa Company prepared a delicacy of crab cakes, seared tuna, roasted pablano pepper, crab and corn soup and a richly textured spinach salad served at SOAC. On Saturday night, Mike Williams and his team performed D.J. Services electrifying the party crowd after a dinner was provided by The Times Grill which grilled king-size signature hamburgers and chicken breast sandwiches along with potato salad and vegetables. Rich Bordelon and TEAM MEXICO 7.0 stole the party and rocked the house with their south of the border costumes and props. On Sunday, Outback Steakhouse on Jones Creek Road grilled and served a lunch that consisted of its famous Outback Sirloin Steak, green beans, salad, and bread.

Gold level sponsors included Outback Steakhouse on Jones Creek Road, Abita Beer, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Serrano's Salsa Company and Wal-Mart. Silver level sponsors were Fiji Water, Alexander Harvie, Silk Screen Shop, the Bryan Foundation, Cox Communications, Holt Louque, Jeff & Lynne Pisto, Phelps Dunbar law firm, and the Station Sports Bar & Grill. Over 200 other sponsors also donated money, raffle items and talent to make this Baton Rouge event a successful one. A raffle and silent auction sales over the weekend generated revenues from the players and guests. The total amount raised in this event has pushed Aquinas League net charitable donations for 2008 over the $120,000 level. Anyone interested in learning more or in volunteering for future Aquinas League events can go to www.aquinasleague.org.

This year’s results include:

2008 Aquinas League Classic MVP Award --- Richard Bordelon & Carl Vidrine

Match Results

6.0 Purple - Champ - Belize - 2^nd Place - U.S.A. 6.0

6.0 Gold – Champ - Netherlands 6.0 - 2^nd Place - Sweden

7.0 Purple – Champ - New Zealand 7.0 - 2^nd Place - Paraguay

7.0 Gold – Champ - Madagascar - 2^nd Place - Fiji 7.0

8.0 – Champ - Boliva - 2^nd place - Chad

If you have any questions, please call me at (225) 252-6065, and I will gladly sit down and discuss details of this event provides.

Beau James Brock, Co-Director 2008 Aquinas League Classic – Founders Cup