The University of Minnesota's Leukemia Research Fund received a check for $380,000 from the Danny Thompson Memorial Golf Tournament at a luncheon October 25, 2006 hosted by University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks and the University of Minnesota Foundation.

Representing the Danny Thompson Memorial Board were Georgie Fenton, tournament president, and Stephen Hanks, chairman. Fenton presented a check to Russ Huffer, CEO of Apogee Enterprises, Inc., and chairman of the board of directors of the Leukemia Research Fund. This extraordinary gift represents funds raised at the 30th Annual Danny Thompson Memorial Golf Tournament held in August in Sun Valley, Idaho. The tournament has raised more than $4 million for the Leukemia Research Fund; approximately $3 million of that total was raised during the past 10 years.

Left to right: Stephen Hanks, chairman, Danny Thompson Memorial Board; Georgie Fenton, tournament president; Russell Huffer, CEO, Apogee Enterprises, Inc., and chairman, Leukemia Research Fund; and President Robert Bruininks.

In accepting the gift, President Bruininks remarked, "The importance of over $4 million by the Danny Thompson Golf Tournament is how it has leveraged additional research funds of well over $20 million." Research supported by the Leukemia Research Fund includes both fundamental laboratory studies and translational studies developing novel therapies.

Cancer Center Deputy Director Tucker LeBien, Ph.D., who has attended the annual tournament for many years as director of the Leukemia Research Fund, thanked representatives from the Danny Thompson Memorial Golf Tournament for their continued support of the Masonic Cancer Center and its leukemia research.