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As you know by now, Georgetown is in the progress of building the the long-anticipated John R. Thompson Jr. Intercollegiate Athletics Center with a completion date in the Fall, 2016. This important project is soon to become a reality, and significant progress has been made on the facility since the groundbreaking in September 2014.
But don't just take my word for it. Here it is! LIVE-THOMPSON CENTER CAM! Once complete, the Thompson Center is going to be a jewel on campus, and check out the video HERE for what it will look like.
As you also know by now, there have been more than a few generous donations that made headlines by former Hoyas Patrick Ewing (a $3.3 million joint donation along with agent David Falk), Roy Hibbert ($1 million), and Jeff Green (a $1 million donation).
As you also may recall, this site created The Casual Campaign for The Thomson Center back in August 2014 in order to generate funds for the project. This effort raised over $15,000 and has resulted in the Athletics Department showering the blog with both rose petals and praise. (Note: I have received neither rose petals nor praise from the Athletics Department.)
Nonetheless, the job isn't done! We need to help get it done. Georgetown still remains shy of its fundraising goals for the project and there's a boatload of cash that still needs to be raised to fully fund the construction of the Thompson Center.
OK, so what can we do about it now?
Well, today happens to be Giving Tuesday, which is a national effort by Georgetown to raise funds for the University for a multitude of projects. You can read more about that HERE. For Casual Hoya's part, I'm asking you to click THIS LINK RIGHT HERE, and donate as little as $5 or as much as your cold heart can afford so we can get The Thompson Center completed on time.
Why?
First and foremost, the completion of the Thompson Center is the single most important venture for the future success and sustainability of the Georgetown basketball program in the history of ever. That might sound like a lot of hyperbole (and it is), but it's also true. In order for Georgetown basketball to continue its esteemed legacy in this new landscape of college hoops, we need this thing built.
Second, and what I'm hopeful will strike a tone with you, is that The Casual Campaign isn't a plea from the Athletics Department. The Casual Campaign isn't a random email from an alum you've never met. The Casual Campaign is ours. By clicking on THIS LINK which has been specially created by computer nerds, you will be taken to a page where you can make a donation for as little as $5, and all of whatever you contribute will be distinctly earmarked as Casual. As an added benefit, if you are already a member of the Hoya Hoop Club, this Casual Campaign donation will count as part of your annual HHC contribution. If you have season tickets, this donation will also count towards your annual deposit. If you're not an HHC member, it doesn't matter. You can still donate.
Last go-around we tried to Get It Done. And we did.
Now it's time to Finish The Job.
The Thompson Center is more than just a new venue for student-athletes. It's a symbol of strength for Georgetown. The impact of such a facility cannot be understated, not just for our current student-athletes to help them improve performance on the court, but for any recruits that visit the campus in the future. McDonough has tradition, but tradition alone isn't getting the top-ranked recruits to commit to Georgetown. Do you think top recruits enjoy having to step over other student-athletes as they stretch and meet in the hallway? How do you think that resonates when these recruits then visit other schools and are shown veritable basketball palaces oozing in state-of- the-art training areas and casual comfort? Our basketball program deserves this facility, and we need it now.
Over the years we have built a community here at Casual Hoya, and it has developed into a nice oasis for fans of Georgetown basketball to both rant and rave about the Hoyas program. There are fans that are pleased with the program. There are fans that are unhappy with the program. But at the end of the day, we are all Georgetown basketball fans. And as fans of Georgetown basketball, we all share the same goal: to have the Georgetown Hoyas basketball program among the nation's best each and every year. The John R. Thompson Jr. Intercollegiate Athletics Center will get us there.
Hoyas fans (and even non-Hoyas fans who may read this and realize that a new facility at Georgetown would be good for the future of the Big East as a whole), now is the time to join together and Finish The Job.
Though most of our interaction is through the anonymous space of the internet, I've had the great misfortune of actually getting to know more than a few of you off the computer (note: this was the best ‘off the court' reference I could come up with). We've talked Hoya hoops together, we've documented our lunches together, we've had beers together. Now let's donate together.
It's time to Finish The Job.
In the event that you're burnt out on giving to The Thompson Center or have so much to give that you want to spread the wealth, perhaps consider a donation to the Athletics Excellence fund. What's that, you ask? Here you go!
The Georgetown Athletics Excellence Fund supports the strategic priorities within athletics, mainly: scholarships, short-term facility needs, and program enhancements. It is a centerpiece in Georgetown Athletics' pursuit of excellence. Making a gift to the Athletics Excellence Fund is one of the best ways to improve and provide an unparalleled student-athlete experience across all 29 varsity sports. Furthermore, Georgetown's commitment to attracting the very best scholar-athletes is a central tenet in its Jesuit tradition and mission of service to others. The Georgetown Athletics Excellence Fund helps Georgetown Athletics perpetuate this mission. A gift TODAY will improve the student-athlete experience tomorrow and for generations to come!
Hoya Saxa!