18th annual Katie Samson Foundation Lacrosse Festival slated for April 28
Radnor >> The 18th annual KSF (Katie Samson Foundation) Lacrosse Festival, the largest single-day high school lacrosse festival in the United States, will be held April 28 at Radnor High School.
The Festival will feature 54 varsity high school lacrosse teams (26 premier boys’ teams and 28 premier girls’ teams on six fields running simultaneously), wheelchair rugby, tennis and basketball games, youth games and two FanZones with rides, bounces, rock walls, face painting, BBQ, funnel cakes, raffle prizes, clothing and equipment, plus a special guest appearance from the Phillie Phanatic.
The game will begin at 9 a.m. The Festival annually attracts more than 10,000 fans to Radnor High School.
Last year, more than $100,000 was raised with the support of over 50 sponsors, donations from attendees, as well as fundraising efforts by each participating lacrosse team. Since 2000 more than $1.9 million has been distributed to charities benefiting medical research and providing care for people with spinal cord injuries – patient care (46 percent), research (43 percent), and quality of life (11 percent).
KSF raises money for research to identify a cure for spinal cord injuries and to optimize care and quality of life for spinal cord patients. The foundation also promotes social awareness as the lacrosse community comes together to support the festival. The KSF foundation has successfully raised funds to support spinal cord injury research and rehabilitation programs that provide much needed independence and quality of life improvements for those with spinal cord injuries.
Samson grew up in Wayne, and attended Radnor High School, where she was a goalkeeper for the girls lacrosse team. She went on to study Art History at Middlebury College where she also played Division III lacrosse and helped her team capture a National Championship in 1999. The following winter she suffered a spinal cord injury while sledding and became a quadriplegic. After months of rehabilitation and encouragement from family and friends, Samson went back to finish her degree and help coach her college team to two more National titles.
In 2004, Samson moved to Arizona to pursue her graduate degree where she remained for six years. She moved back to the Philadelphia area in 2010 and is currently the Assistant Director of Museum Education at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. As a peer mentor for people who have suffered spinal cord injury through Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, Samson encourages her mentees to seek out adaptive sports and therapeutic programs that have had such a positive effect on her life.
The festival web site, www.katiesamsonlaxfest.com, has an inspirational video, the full schedule as well as all the other festival details. Or visit the festival on Facebook – KSF Lacrosse Festival. A $10 ($5 for students/under 3 is free) admission fee allows unlimited access to all activities and rides within the two Fan Zones.
The Katie Samson Foundation is a 501©3 corporation. All donations are tax deductible. For more information, contact the Directors of Development, Eric Gorman at KSFlacrossefest@gmail.com.
