Sarah And Dick Bennett Invest $1 Million In Pirates Unite Campaign
September 28, 2022 | General
GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina University Director of Athletics Jon Gilbert and Pirate Club Executive Director Ryan Robinson announced today that longtime Pirate Club members Dick and Sarah Bennett have made a $1 million investment to support the Pirates Unite Campaign for Comprehensive Excellence. The investment is the lead gift on the baseball building expansion project.
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The Bennett's generous gift will help fund the expansion of the current baseball footprint down the left field line at Clark-LeClair Stadium which includes an enlarged locker room and team space with a designated area for premium seating. The project also entails player development areas such as an athletic training room and a video room for players and coaches to break down film.
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In a statement, the Bennett's shared their motivation for the investment in the Pirates Unite Campaign:
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"ECU Athletics and the Pirate Club are an important part of our life, and we are fortunate to share our blessings. We met during our time at ECU as students and are fortunate to give back to the place that created so many memories for us. We are proud to be Pirates and are excited about the trajectory of our athletics department. Hopefully our investment in the baseball building will encourage others to support any of the projects in the Pirates Unite Campaign and impact current and future student-athletes."
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Dick and Sarah both graduated from ECU and have been Pirate Club members for more than 40 years. Both have served on the Pirate Club Executive Committee and have participated in numerous campaigns within the Pirate Club. Today's announcement is another significant milestone in the Pirates Unite Campaign as more than $10 million has been generated since the launch in May.
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"The Pirate Club is an organization built off the support of our generous donors and Dick and Sarah Bennett have been loyal supporters for more than 40 years," Gilbert said. "It was important for Dick and Sarah to give back to a place they love, a place where they met, and this investment will impact the baseball program for years to come. The Bennett's care about the student-athlete experience and their investment will help us continue to attract the best student-athletes for our programs."
"This is a great day for ECU Athletics, the Pirate Club and our baseball program," ECU Baseball Head Coach Cliff Godwin said. "Dick and Sarah are Pirates and they share a deep passion for this university and athletics department. Being the caretaker of this baseball program is an honor and privilege and I feel that way because of individuals like Dick and Sarah who invest in our young men and want to see us succeed. This gift will make a monumental difference in our program."
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The Bennett's generous gift will help fund the expansion of the current baseball footprint down the left field line at Clark-LeClair Stadium which includes an enlarged locker room and team space with a designated area for premium seating. The project also entails player development areas such as an athletic training room and a video room for players and coaches to break down film.
Â
In a statement, the Bennett's shared their motivation for the investment in the Pirates Unite Campaign:
Â
"ECU Athletics and the Pirate Club are an important part of our life, and we are fortunate to share our blessings. We met during our time at ECU as students and are fortunate to give back to the place that created so many memories for us. We are proud to be Pirates and are excited about the trajectory of our athletics department. Hopefully our investment in the baseball building will encourage others to support any of the projects in the Pirates Unite Campaign and impact current and future student-athletes."
Â
Dick and Sarah both graduated from ECU and have been Pirate Club members for more than 40 years. Both have served on the Pirate Club Executive Committee and have participated in numerous campaigns within the Pirate Club. Today's announcement is another significant milestone in the Pirates Unite Campaign as more than $10 million has been generated since the launch in May.
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"The Pirate Club is an organization built off the support of our generous donors and Dick and Sarah Bennett have been loyal supporters for more than 40 years," Gilbert said. "It was important for Dick and Sarah to give back to a place they love, a place where they met, and this investment will impact the baseball program for years to come. The Bennett's care about the student-athlete experience and their investment will help us continue to attract the best student-athletes for our programs."
"This is a great day for ECU Athletics, the Pirate Club and our baseball program," ECU Baseball Head Coach Cliff Godwin said. "Dick and Sarah are Pirates and they share a deep passion for this university and athletics department. Being the caretaker of this baseball program is an honor and privilege and I feel that way because of individuals like Dick and Sarah who invest in our young men and want to see us succeed. This gift will make a monumental difference in our program."
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