North Carolina State University Athletics
A McHappy Gift in Honor of Kay Yow
1/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Pack Athletics
Jan. 26, 2011
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RALEIGH, N.C. – A little over two years ago, Ric Richards was scurrying around trying to put the finishing touches on the NC State-themed McDonald’s he owns on Western Boulevard. The 24-hour restaurant is uniquely decorated in all things Wolfpack, right down to the red-and-white free throw lane at the counter.
When he was ready to re-open his doors – the previous building had been demolished and replaced at a cost of $2 million – he had hoped to have legendary NC State basketball coach Kay Yow on hand for a grand celebration, along with a handful of other legendary NC State figures like Chris Corchiani and Rodney Monroe.
Yow, along with retired senior associate athletics director Frank Weedon and football events coordinator Donna Woolard, had been instrumental in helping Richards gather just the right pictures and memorabilia that adorn the walls.
But on Jan. 24, 2009, Yow quietly passed away, ending her long, inspirational battle against breast cancer, the same week of the McDonald’s grand re-opening. Richards always felt that he missed the opportunity to thank the late coach properly for helping make his Wolfpack franchise successful.
So when NC State hired Yow’s younger sister Debbie as athletics director back in June, Richards thought it would be the perfect opportunity to show his appreciation. Tuesday night, a day after the two-year anniversary of the coach’s death, Richards invited the younger Yow and the NC State women’s basketball team to the restaurant to join Mr. Wuf and Ronald McDonald for a fundraiser to benefit the WBCA/Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
In front of a packed house, Richards made two separate donations to the charity that bears the coach’s name, a $3,500 personal contribution and a $1,500 donation in honor of a 36-year-old neighbor, Jen Newman, who is battling breast cancer.
Representatives of the Kay Yow Foundation were also on hand, selling raffle tickets for signed pictures of Coach Yow and two tickets to Sunday’s Hoops 4 Hope game in Reynolds Coliseum, the annual event begun by Kay Yow to help raise awareness and money for breast cancer.
Sunday’s 1 p.m. contest against Florida State will feature more opportunities to raise funds for the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.
One way is to participate in the Walk 4 Kay, in which fans can make a donation in support of one of their favorite NC State personalities and coaches and then spend 15 minutes walking side-by-side on a treadmill with that person.
Among those participating from NC State are chancellor Randy Woodson, quarterback Russell Wilson, tight end George Bryan, football coach Tom O’Brien, basketball coach Sidney Lowe, women’s coach Kellie Harper and a long list of other well-known names from the athletics department.
For more information, visit this page on GoPack.com. Make a donation here, even if you can’t be at the game, to support the WBCA/Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
