2019 Welcome Letter

MARCH MADNESS

2019 NCAA BASKETBALL POOL

March is here. NCAA basketballʼs greatest week is upon us. There is no concensus powerhouse this year, except maybe the dreaded devil team in blue, so pick the upsets! You will be rewarded.
The best three weeks of college sports, the NCAA men's basketball tournament has finally arrived!

Welcome back friends, family, prognosticators, financiers and above all else, contributors. You all know the rules and how the system works. No rules changes, but send me your checks. Venmo is fine. (jpmorganmd@mac.com)

Our March Madness Endowment Fund was established in 2008. It is professionally run through the Warrick County Community Foundation and the nine county, Community Foundation Alliance. At the end of 2008, the total money in your fund was $ 4097. Currently, the fund has blossomed to a well established endeavor with assets over $ 92,000! We have made several small grants over these years with the interest money allotted by alliance rules, and this will continue throughout the years regardless of whether this basketball pool continues to exist. But that to a larger extent depends on you. Money that grows is money that is given out. Check out our charities page at the top of the website.

Although your nominal contribution for all this fun is again a requested $ 20 (no change over many years), over 80% of all our charity money raised comes from your additional contributions. Year after year, individuals contribute from five, to several hundred dollars in additional funding. This of course continues to be the reason for our being. If you havenʼt before, consider this, and drop some extra cash with your entry donation!

There are NO format changes to this yearʼs pool, once again. NCAA basketball tournament selections and seedings will come out shortly today, March 17th. Entry into the tournament closes with the tip off of the first round games beginning Thursday morning, March 21st. For each entry, fill out the form all the way through to the finals, selecting the winner of each game. Donʼt worry about the play-in games. They donʼt count to the standings. Read the rules sheet!!

Important Tournament Pool information

Each entry donation is $20 (twenty dollars). $5 (five dollars) of every fee will be donated to charity. Again, we encourage you to make an additional contribution, (as the majority of you so kindly do). Remember any additional moneys donated qualify as a tax-deduction, so if you desire proof of such, you may also enclose a separate check made out to one of the charities listed below. I will forward the check (as is) with the rest of the donations. Otherwise, simply make out your check to me, and Mail all checks and additional donations to:

John P. Morgan, MD PO Box 1136 Newburgh, IN 47629

The remainder of the pool will be distributed to the winners as follows:

1st --- 40%      2nd --- 20%      3rd --- 10%      4th --- 7%      5th --- 5%

6th --- 4%        7th --- 3%         8th --- 3%        9th --- 2%      10th --- 2%        Last Place --- 4%

$ 100 bonus for the place finish of the total score of the championship game
(Final score Oregon 74 North Carolina 72 means 146th place takes home $ 100. Ties split) You donʼt need to pick a final score, it will just happen!

Also: Bonus award again for 2019. (Judges discretion and no disputes!)

$ 100 bonus for the GOAT. (This is not greatest of all time, but rather, the person who has the worst bracket who actually tried to win, not tried to come in last place). Your name will be in lights.

The website will be updated. (Annual thanks goes to Gary Gurtcheff, our webmaster.) Additionally, we will maintain an index page for you to review rules, interim letters, charity information, periodic updates, and other items of interest, in addition to the standings. We hope you will take the time to peruse the site. Please especially review our charity page. Additional donations may also be made out by check and sent to me directly at the above address.

2019 Charity Information


Aside from the March Madness Endowment Fund for which approximately 1/2 of charity dollars go each year (current fund total $92,000!) the following charitable endeavors are named for receiving money from the 2019 tournament.  Please consider and extra donation or simply write a personal check (tax deductible) over and above your entry fees to either the March Madness Endowment Fund or one of the following organizations:

  1. Evansville Rescue Mission
  2. Tri-State Food Bank (Memo line on your check: Weekend BackPack for Kids)
  3. Ark Crisis Child Care Center (Memo line on your check: Fairy Tale Ball)

Further information for you about the additional charities:

Evansville Rescue Mission:  

For over 100 years, the Evansville Rescue Mission has stood as a beacon in our community to those looking for vital services for survival, and for those looking for a place to serve.  Recently the ERM opened a new 19,560 sq ft facility to provide a day shelter and semi-independent apartment units for men who have lived and progressed through their residence center.  The goal is to combat chronic homelessness in Evansville.  2/3 or the total amount of the facility has been funded with a goal of $480,000 needed to complete the project.  This is a gap to independent living with semi-structured living.  For further information, contact the website at evansvillerescuemission.org

Tri-State Food Bank (Weekend BackPack for Kids):

This program is to assist children who may not have enough food to eat over the weekend. In the US, about 17 million children under 18 live in households where they are unable to consistently access enough nutritious food necessary for a healthy life. The weekend backpacks provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and nutritious snacks for children in need in our community.  For more information, contact the website at tristatefoodbank.org

Ark Crisis Child Care Center (Fairy Tale Ball)

On April 13, 2019, the Fairy Tale Ball returns.  When you support Ark, you help protect children from abuse and neglect.  The mission is to keep children safe and strengthen families in stress.  Ark does this by providing free, short-term child care.  Established 39 years ago, Ark is the only emergency state-licensed child care center in Indiana, and only one of 11 in the US. The Fairy Tale Ball is one of Ark’s two primary fundraisers throughout the year.  Children are given opportunity to attend, dress up as princesses and princes, receive transportation to the event, ride a horse drawn carriage, and meet real time characters from Disney and other movies, play games, attend the dance, and have a wonderful dinner. Prior to the event, volunteers provide dress and costume, do hair and makeup, and simply make the children feel special in a way unlike anything seen in our community.  For $25, you can sponsor a child and be a Fairy Godparent for the event and provide attendance.  For more information, contact the website at arkcrisis.org/fairy-tale-ball

We are excited for our 23rd anniversary this year. The endowment fund lives on.
In addition to your pool entry fees, you may certainly (and we encourage you to) send a separate check made out directly to the charity of your choice, and forward to the following address:

John P. Morgan PO Box 1136 Newburgh, IN 47629-1136

In addition to the March Madness Endowment Fund, additional named charities are to be beneficiaries for our 2019 pool. Further information to follow. You may include extra money in your check to me with entry fees, or write a separate check and forward to me.

Please read the RULES page carefully! Thanks again.
March Madness Charity Committee 

© Gary M. Gurtcheff 2013