Projected Figures From 'Evening With Champions' More Than $100K

Although the bills have not yet been tallied, organizers of last weekend's An Evening With Champions said yesterday they expect to meet their goal of raising more than $100,000 for the Jimmy Fund, a local cancer research charity.

"It was quite clearly a success," said Julie H. Park '97, a co-chair of the organizing committee. "The attendance was really great. The caliber of skating talent was exceptional."

The estimate represents a notable increase from last year's $85,000 contribution from the Eliot House-sponsored event to the Fund, a division of the Dana Farber Institute.

"I'm pretty sure we [raised $100,000], but we won't know for sure until all the expenses are paid," said Dan J. Kolodner '97, the other co-chair of the event, noting that proceeds vary from year to year.

Organizers have not yet tabulated the costs of equipping the Bright Hockey Center with the proper lighting and sound equipment, paying the performers' travel expenses and purchasing T-shirts and programs for resale.

But organizers credited corporate sponsors with offsetting a great deal of expenses, leaving more money for the Fund, which Kolodner expects will receive almost 80 cents of every dollar raised.

Companies that donated to the event include WGBH-Boston, State Farm Insurance, CVS Pharmacy, Gillette, Samuel Adams, Reservoir Wines, Herrell's Ice Cream, Cambridge Trust Company and Sony Theaters, Kolodner said.

These contributions came mostly in the form of in-kind donations of materials, publicity or labor.

The event also raised funds through a silent auction.

Auctioned items included tickets for American Airlines, the Boston Pops and the Boston Ballet, as well as signed Red Sox paraphernalia.

All in all, more than $3000 was raised through auction, according to Sammy C. Lai '96, co-chair of the auction.

As soon as the Eliot House organizers close the books on An Evening With Champions, the records will be reviewed by internal auditors of the University, and the financial report will be forwarded to the Jimmy Fund.

The auditing safeguards were prompted in part by a 1993 controversy in which event organizers embezzled more than $120,000.

This year's organizers said they expect to complete their accounting in the next two weeks.

"Every single penny is accounted for," Kolodner said, noting that Eliot House has raised more than $500,000 for the charity since the controversy. "That's something to be proud of."

The event filled about 95 percent of its seats this year, according to Kolodner.

"It seemed like we did a much better job letting people know about the show this year," said Robert N. Imberman '97, who was heavily involved with publicizing the event both this year and last.

Park, who is a Crimson editor, noted that the event's taking place on the same weekend as the Head of the Charles regatta probably helped boost attendance.

Kolodner said he looks forward to presenting a check to the Jimmy Fund in a ceremony in December or January.

"They're a great charity, and I encourage everyone in the world to give to them," he said.