Today, we did it: We hit our Year End 43 Day fundraising goal of $43,000.

When we say “we,” we’re referring to you, the supporters of the Lutzie 43 Foundation. Everyone – no matter whether you contributed financially, via prayer or through encouragement – played an integral part in us reaching this goal.

We cannot understate how appreciative or thankful we are for your contributions. We know that making a donation is not as simple as writing a check, it is a conscious decision to sacrifice one thing for another. We thank you for making the choice to support us and the important work we are doing.

Because of you, we are able to make sure that Philip’s life continues to impact people today.

So, what’s next? Your donations directly support our initiatives. In 2018, we are expanding upon our 2017 initiatives. We plan to offer more PFL (Prepared for Life) Scholarships, allow more special needs students to attend joy proms and adaptive PE field days, and provide more 43 Lessons to Legacy character-based curriculums to students and their mentors.

We’re also hosting the first-ever Auburn Weekend, which includes a 2nd “onsite” Lutzie 43 Road Race, as well as a Flag Football tournament and a Powderpuff tournament for Auburn fraternities and sororities, which all takes place on Auburn’s campus. We will also be partnering with multiple organizations to host our initial Alabama-based Adaptive PE field day in Auburn with help from Auburn University students.

We will continue with our annual Lutzie 43 Golf Invitational and our Lutzie 43 Road Race in Marietta and virtually. We will continue to support the Philip Lutzenkirchen Excellence in Public Speaking Award & Scholarship Program conducted each fall and spring through Auburn University’s School of Communication and Journalism.

Mike will continue speaking at schools, corporations and faith-based organizations across the country, giving our Philip’s Legacy…what legacy are you leaving? talk and telling schools and teams about our curriculum and scholarship. In January, he is speaking at the 2018 Under Armour All-America game in Orlando, FL to the nation’s top football prospects.

All of this to say, thank you for helping us make these initiatives possible. We could not have met this goal without you. Thank you also to everyone who left a note about Philip and how the Foundation has impacted you since its inception the fall of 2014.