Fundraising For Berry’s Cage Center Passes 23 Million Mark
Berry College President Stephen R. Briggs ushered in a new academic year Monday with news that fundraising for the Steven J. Cage Athletic and Recreation Center has surpassed $23 million in gifts and pledges. Dr. Briggs made the announcement at the annual faculty/staff convocation held in the Berry College Chapel. He credited the generosity of multiple donors for making this new milestone possible.
Berry administrators have set a deadline of summer 2009 to complete fundraising for the $32.5 million facility, which opened to rave reviews in January. With the final goal now less than $10 million away, Vice President for Advancement Bettyann O’Neill is optimistic that the final deadline will be met.
“I am confident that our alumni and friends will help us cross the finish line victoriously,” she said.
Since its grand opening in January, the Cage Center has become a focal point of student activity on the 26,000-acre Berry campus. The 131,000-square-foot facility houses a performance gymnasium, natatorium, multi-purpose court, fitness center, racquetball courts and a Hall of Berry Sports History among its many features. It provides a state-of-the-art home for Berry’s intercollegiate and intramural athletic programs, as well as office and classroom space for the kinesiology department.
The building’s namesake, Berry alumnus and trustee Steve Cage, helped to initiate fundraising for the project in January 2005 with the largest single alumni gift in the history of the college. His donation, later revealed to be $10 million, provided support for several college priorities. Since that time, the Campaign for the Cage has been the beneficiary of other major gifts from Berry board members and friends of the college.
