COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Longtime friend of U.S. Figure Skating Joyce Komperda has made a generous gift of $250,000 to establish the Joyce Komperda Athlete Support Fund, which will provide funds to intermediate, novice and junior athletes who demonstrate financial need.
Komperda, of Menomonee Falls, Wis., began figure skating as a young girl in Milwaukee, Wis., when, after being diagnosed with asthma, her family doctor recommended to her parents that they seek a dry or cool climate for their daughter.
“My mother signed me up for skating lessons assuming the climate of the ice rink would be good for me, and the rest is history,” Komperda said.
Komperda’s love of figure skating and its personal benefits to young skaters motivated her to create the fund. After a successful and rewarding career at one of Wisconsin’s most prestigious law firms, Komperda now spends her time judging U.S. Figure Skating competitions and resides between her two homes in Menomonee Falls, Wis., and Minocqua, Wis.
“Joyce has been a good friend of U.S. Figure Skating for many years,” said U.S. Figure Skating Executive Director David Raith. “Her decision to establish a fund to support our young skaters is just another example of the generosity and kindness that has marked her involvement with our sport.”
To determine eligibility for the Joyce Komperda Athlete Support Fund, athletes and their parents/guardians will be asked to complete a brief grant application. Those interested in learning more about the fund can contact Kevin Burns, senior director of development at U.S. Figure Skating, at 719.228.3479 or kburns@usfigureskating.org.
– U.S. Figure Skating –
U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating in the United States as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union. U.S. Figure Skating is comprised of more than 700 member clubs, collegiate clubs, and school-affiliated clubs and over 900 registered Basic Skills skating schools representing approximately 170,000 members. U.S. Figure Skating is charged with the development of the sport on all levels within the United States including athletes, officials, sanctioning of events and exhibitions, and establishing the rules and guidelines by which the sport is governed.
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Comments
Comments RSSOn September 16, 2009 Jewell Fox wrote
It is nice to see Ms. Komperda making such a generous donation, but my only question to you guys at USOC figure skating is whose really getting help from these generous donations. As far as we can see there are not many minorities in the National Figure Skating Program. And the ones that are there get very little recognition or money to help them with expenses, so while these donations are being given, we ask the question who are they being given too? Are they given to minority who needs it. Because the question to ask the USOC is: Are we sending our best athletes to the Games or the athletes that can afford to go to the Games?
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