Garner, Affleck coming to UC for fundraiser

by Jake Stump
Daily Mail Capitol Reporter
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck will come to Charleston this fall to host a fundraiser for a new, multimillion-dollar athletic complex at the University of Charleston.

School officials announced today that the actress, who grew up in Charleston, and her Academy Award-winning husband will serve as honorary hosts for "Starry Starry Night: An Evening Under the Stars at the University of Charleston" on Sept. 19.

The Hollywood couple hopes to drum up donations for an athletic complex that's projected to cost at least $20 million. The university now has about $3.5 million for the project, said UC President Ed Welch, and hopes to raise more than $500,000 at the event.

The athletic complex will house the men's and women's basketball programs and the volleyball program. It also will include athletic coaching offices, locker rooms for softball and men's and women's tennis and training facilities.

Five levels of sponsorship packages will be sold for the fundraiser. Anyone donating $5,000 will get eight tickets to the event and two tickets to a VIP reception. Other packages are for those who donate $10,000, $25,000, $50,000 and $100,000. The largest package includes 32 tickets and 20 VIP tickets.
If tickets remain on July 1, the school will make them available to the general public at $250 each. Seating will be available for about 1,500.

The reception will begin at 6 p.m. at the Erma Byrd Gallery in Riggleman Hall, followed by the fundraising event at 7:30 p.m. outside on the UC Riverfront.
Garner, Affleck and guests at the function will honor the lives of distinguished alumni Louise and Mario Palumbo. Mario Palumbo represented Kanawha County in the state Senate for many years and at one point was Senate judiciary chairman. He later became state attorney general.

Louise Palumbo was fashion director for the Stone & Thomas department store chain for decades and often was called on to lead fashion-related events in the community.

One of their two sons, Corey, is a House of Delegates member currently running for state Senate. He is also a friend and former George Washington High School classmate of Garner and is largely responsible for the couple agreeing to visit Charleston for the function.

"This was made possible through the relationship between Corey Palumbo and Jennifer Garner," Welch said.

Palumbo's parents attended UC when it was known as Morris Harvey College. Mario came from his native New York to play basketball, and Louise was a cheerleader.

After graduation, they remained involved with their alma mater. Mario taught courses as a part-time faculty member, and they both served on the Board of Trustees.

They both died in July 2004. Louise passed away from complications of cancer. Mario, who had battled an illness best known as Lou Gehrig's disease for several years, died just one day later.

UC officials hope to name part of the athletic complex after them.

In a taped interview, Garner praised the Palumbos and reflected on the time she spent as a youngster swimming with friends at the UC pool.

Corey, a Charleston attorney, said he's proud of his parents' achievements and the long-lasting effect they had on UC and the Charleston area.

"Anytime my parents are recognized and honored, it's a proud moment for me," he said.

Although he attended West Virginia University and the University of North Carolina, Palumbo said he's been a staunch supporter of UC and his parents' vision to see the school flourish.

"It's good for Charleston," Palumbo said.

Welch said the location of the athletic complex has not been determined. The school initially eyed the former Watt Powell Park site for the complex, but officials are now reconsidering the location to cut costs.

Two years ago, the university planned to build an 83,983-square-foot athletic complex at the old baseball park.

But the university currently has a St. Louis-based architectural firm, Hastings & Chivetta, studying the costs of renovating the existing campus athletic buildings.
"They were here last week to develop an alternative model to the facility we've outlined for the Watt Powell Park site," Welch said. "Students would like it to be on campus. It could save us a considerable number of dollars."

Welch hopes to have the architect's findings ready for a Board of Trustees meeting in June. But he said the Watt Powell Park option hasn't been completely ruled out.

Welch anticipates a good turnout for the September fundraiser.

"It'll be a first-class dinner/dance on the riverfront," he said. "The theme is 'Starry Starry Night.' It'll be starry in several different ways.

"It's nice to have a person in Jennifer Garner who remembers and cherishes her roots. She has not forgotten the values of life while being wrapped up in parts of the world where people tend to forget those. It's exciting she will be here."