Submitted photo – The local community raised more than $95,000 for CR sports last week.

The local community came out in support of College of the Redwoods sports last week, raising more than $95,000 at the Corsairs annual sports dinner and auction.

The money raised will go toward funding the school’s 13 sports teams.

“We couldn’t do it without the community support,” CR Athletic Director Bob Brown said. 

The annual fundraiser, which was held at the school gymnasium on Thursday night, sold out all 50 tables and featured a crowd of well over 450, as well as close to 80 student athletes.

“For me, the auction has become one of the marquee events, if not the marquee event, at the college,” Brown said. “We get tremendous support from local donors and local businesses.”

The CR student athletes helped run the event, with former Corsair standout and newly inducted school Hall of Famer Dan Phillips serving as guest speaker.

Phillips, a Fortuna High graduate who wrestled and played football for the Corsairs from 1976 to 1978, has enjoyed a very successful career in the tech industry since graduation.

Phillips has held several executive positions in the industry and is now the Chief Technology Officer for Hulu.

“Dan is somebody who obviously has achieved great success,” Brown said of Phillips, who gave an inspirational speech on how his teachers and coaches at CR helped prepare him for his future success.

“It was a great evening for CR athletics and for CR as a whole,” Brown said.

###

Ray Hamill writes at humboldtsports.com, where you can read lots more about sports in Humboldt County.