Pioneer Club Team Captains Chosen

From left, Doug DeBusk, Kathy Knight, Bob Grubbs, Jim Allen (chairman), Mark Easterly, Mark Williams

Newly selected team captains for the 1999-2000 Pioneer Club effort at Tusculum College met Thursday, August 5 for breakfast at the Scott M. Niswonger Commons on the Tusculum College campus. Pioneer Club Chairman Jim Allen, of CVS Pharmacy, welcomed the group, introducing this year's captains: Doug Debusk and Bob Grubb (co-captains), Mark Williams, Mark Easterly, and Kathy Knight. Each captain will select a team of workers to complete the campaign.

Mark Stokes, vice president for administration and college relations, announced to the group that the campaign goal had been raised from $50,000 in previous years to $225,000 this year. "We have expanded not only the goal but the scope of the campaign," Stokes said. "In the past, the Pioneer Club has been a community project. We are expanding to include former athletes of the College who may live in other communities. Stokes also announced incentives of $50 gift certificates at the College Bookstore for the first captain to assemble a team and the first worker to make all his or her calls.

Tom Garland, interim president of Tusculum College, thanked the group for their support. "The people in this room are some of the same people who are involved in many community programs. We are grateful to you for participating in this effort. This is going to be an exciting year. We have wonderful new facilities, good people, a good message. A successful Pioneer Club effort is going to be a very important part of this very important time in the life of the College." "Our goal is ambitious," Chairman Allen said, in concluding the meeting, "but the quality of people we are working with and the quality of this community make me have every confidence that we will meet our goal."

The Pioneer Club is made up of individuals who are excited about athletics at Tusculum College and wish to provide financial support to these programs. Funds generated by the Pioneer Club support all phases of the College's athletic programs. Club funds provide substantial support for athletic scholarships and help maintain and improve facilities that receive year-round use, not only by the College but by people in the community. These facilities will be the site of the South Atlantic Conference Fall Sports Festivals of 2000-2002, events that will bring teams and fans from eight colleges to Greeneville and Greene County. For information on the Pioneer Club, contact the Office of External Relations at (423) 636-7303 or Athletic Director Ed Hoffmeyer at (423)636-7323