Led by an anonymous $50,000 gift, the Department of Athletics is conducting a $500,000 fund-raising campaign throughout the 2007-08 men’s basketball season to memorialize one of the greatest Friars of all time.

The goal of the campaign is to rename the varsity student-athlete weight room in the new Concannon Fitness Center, the Jimmy Walker Varsity Student-Athlete Weight Room. Walker ’67, who died last July, was an All-American guard who played at PC from 1964-67.

Walker scored a school-record 2,045 points in just three seasons at Providence. As a senior, he led the nation in scoring with a 30.4 points-per-game average.

In addition to the $50,000 lead gift, all proceeds from March 7 and 8 ceremonies honoring former Friar greats Walker, Ernie DiGregorio ’73, and Marvin Barnes ’74 will go towards the campaign.

The major fund-raising event will be a cocktail and dinner reception on Friday, March 7, at 6:00 p.m. at the Westin Hotel in Providence. Guest speakers will include Dave Gavitt ’89Hon., the former PC head coach and athletic director, who is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, DiGregorio, and Barnes.

Reserved tables for 10 are available for $1,000 per table. General admission tickets may be purchased for $75 each. Sponsorship packages are also available for the two-day event starting at $2,500.

Among the other activities scheduled that weekend is a jersey retirement ceremony that will take place at halftime of the PC vs. Villanova game on Saturday, March 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. The College will unveil banners in honor of Walker, DiGregorio, and Barnes. All three earned All-America honors at PC and went on to play in the NBA.

For inquiries about weekend sponsorship possibilities, contact Steve Napolillo ’98, associate athletic director for the Friar Athletic Fund, at (401) 865-2677 or at snapolil@providence.edu. To purchase tickets for the March 7 dinner, contact Jen Cote of the Friars Forever Athletic Fund at (401) 865-1880 or at jcote4@providence.edu. For tickets to the game, call the ticket office at (401) 865-GOPC.