Fund established honoring Patricia and Heliodoro Rico to benefit the USA Track & Field Foundation

INDIANAPOLIS - A fund honoring the "first couple" of USA Track & Field, Patricia and Heliodoro Rico, has been established with the USA Track & Field Foundation.

The goal of the volunteer fund committee will be to reach endowment status within the Foundation as quickly as possible, to enable grants to be made annually in one or more of three categories: (a) allowing recipients of USATF's Patricia and Heliodoro Rico Lifetime Achievement Award, established in 2006, to designate a charity recipient, (b) provide one or more grants to women aspiring to leadership, officiating, or coaching roles in the sport, and/or (c) grant stipends to women who are emerging elite athletes in underserved events.

Pat Rico was the sixth president of USATF, served on the IAAF Women's Committee for sixteen years, led the Women's Track & Field Committee twice (once each under AAU and TAC/USATF), and was referee for multiple major championships, including the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Helio Rico, who passed away in 2006, was a long-time meet director for the indoor national championships (both in New York and Atlanta), and served on governance and rules committees for both AAU and TAC/USATF, including several years as Rules Committee Chair. Both were active officials at scores of events annually, including more than thirty events in the New York City area each year.

For more information on this fund, contact Tom Jackovic, Foundation Executive Director, or Bill Roe, Foundation Rico Fund project manager. To make a contribution to the fund, you may make an on-line donation or download a pledge card at the Foundation's web site, www.usatffoundation.org, or send a check made payable to the USATF Foundation/Rico Fund to the USATF Foundation at 132 East Washington Street, Suite 800, Indianapolis, IN 46204, and indicate that it is for the Rico Memorial Fund.

The USATF Foundation provides a means to attract and guide funds to new and innovative track & field programs with an emphasis on providing opportunities for youth athletes, emerging elite athletes, distance training centers and anti-doping education. The Foundation depends upon donations from its Board of Directors and from generous fans of track & field. 

For more information or to contribute to the USA Track & Field Foundation, visit www.usatffoundation.org.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE PAT RICO FUND (CHECK BOX MARKED "THE PAT RICO FUND")