Titans Join In As NCAA And Its Summit Participants Give Back To Detroit

Sept. 17, 2008

The NCAA, its Corporate Champions and Corporate Partners, CBS Sports and the Detroit Local Organizing Committee for the 2009 Division I Men's Basketball Final Four kicked off the annual CBS/NCAA Corporate Champion and Corporate Partner Summit on Monday by refurbishing Jayne Field/Lasky Park on Detroit's eastside.

Many student-athletes, staff members and coaches from UDM - the host institution for the upcoming Final Four at Ford Field - also participated in Monday's community service project.

The three-day summit, which brings together key representatives of the NCAA, its Corporate Champions and Corporate Partners, CBS Sports and the host city, occurs annually in the fall in the host city in preparation for the upcoming Final Four. This is the first community service project to be conducted as part of the Summit.The goal of the project was to make a positive, tangible impact on Detroit and, in particular, the city's youth.

Jayne Field/Lasky Park was selected by the NCAA with direction from the DLOC. Representatives from the NCAA, its Corporate Champions (AT&T, Coca-Cola and Pontiac) and Corporate Partners (Enterprise Rent-a-Car, The Hartford, Hershey's, Lowe's, Sheraton and State Farm), CBS Sports, the DLOC and UDM spent part of Monday afternoon cleaning up trash and debris, landscaping, painting and making needed repairs at Jayne Field and Lasky Park.

"The 2009 NCAA Men's Final Four in Detroit provides a unique opportunity for the NCAA and its Corporate Champions and Corporate Partners to set a new standard surrounding NCAA Championships," said Greg Shaheen, NCAA senior vice president for basketball and business strategies. "One of our goals is to leave a positive and tangible footprint on our host communities, especially their youth.

"We think refurbishing Jayne Field and Lasky Park is a great way to give back to the City of Detroit for hosting the Men's Final Four. It's our way of saying thank you to Detroit. We're excited about coming to Detroit for the corporate champion and corporate partner Summit and community service project and the Men's Final Four in April."