September 2, 2008

Dear St. Louis Auburn Club,

Are you ready for some football?  The football season has begun and I know you all are excited about our Auburn team and all the upcoming games this year.  The club has an exciting fall planned with watch parties and a trip to Nashville for the game with Vandy. 

Much has happened since I last wrote to everyone back in April.  Our officers and directors have been busy with not only Auburn club events but with other SEC clubs in the St. Louis area.  Hopefully you have been able to attend all of these activities.  In May we attended the LSU Crawfish Boil and Cardinals-Pittsburg game.  In June we held the SEC picnic at Bierne Park.  July was our busiest month with the Scholarship Dinner.  August has not found us slacking off and we had the SEC softball tournament and SEC football kickoff party.  So I ask again, "Are you ready for some football? "     

The scholarship dinner in July was our most significant event because we were able to award a St. Louis high school senior who will be attending Auburn with a $2500 scholarship.  This year's recipient was Courtney Phillips from Parkway North High School.  Our long-range goal is to have a permanent scholarship and this will require establishing a $25,000 scholarship fund.  Currently we have to raise the money annually and the amount varies from year to year.  Your help and support in making a permanent scholarship a reality is greatly needed and I hope you will consider participating and that you will let me know how you can help.  Please know that Auburn clubs awarded $183,000 to 108 students. 

Another way you can help the club is to provide me with feedback and comments regarding the scholarship dinner that was held in July.  This year it was held on a Monday night at a Westport restaurant.  Our attendance was approximately 45.  We netted approximately $1300 with a silent auction, raffle, and donations.  Two speakers from Auburn's Athletic Dept. and Alumni Association attended and talked about current happenings at Auburn and future plans.  We had a nice enjoyable evening and certainly enjoyed supporting a high school senior who has decided that Auburn is her college of choice.    

What I need from you is feedback and comments on how we did with the scholarship dinner this year.  Tell me what we did right and what we can do even better and especially how to get more attendance and participation.  Let me know why you did not attend.  Is the day and time wrong, is the function not fulfilling?  Typically Auburn chooses to send a speaker from the Athletic Dept.  Would you prefer someone from another area?  Please let me hear from you either via the website or nelda.k.lee@boeing.com     

If you are reading this on the website, then you know that it is www.auburnstl.org.  Please tell others.  Please visit the site and check the calendar of events.  There are many things planned.  We also have a St. Louis Auburn Club logo that is now on Auburn stadium cups and tee shirts and these items are for sale and of course support the scholarship fund. 

I encourage you to visit the website, check out the calendar of events, attend a watch party, and support the club with your attendance at all activities.  We greatly appreciate you being an Auburn Club member and I look forward to hearing from you.   Thank you.   

Nelda Lee, President - St. Louis Auburn Club