Business & Tech
UWWA Group Names Sarah & David Patterson As Its 'Family Of The Year'
Beloved coaches Sarah and David Patterson will be honored with the award presented by the United Way of West Alabama.
TUSCALOOSA, AL — The United Way of West Alabama’s (UWWA) Alexis de Tocqueville Society (ADT) on Wednesday announced that beloved coaches Sarah and David Patterson are the recipients of the annual Family of the Year honor.
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The couple is credited with leading the University of Alabama’s gymnastics team to its first national championship trophy — representing the first for any Alabama sport other than football.
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Over nearly four decades, the Pattersons would go on to win five more NCAA Championships and eight SEC Championships.
The ADT says The Family of the Year award celebrates their lives beyond the mat and recognizes their leadership and generosity in our West Alabama community.
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The couple has been praised for their community work outside of athletics, including raising awareness of breast cancer, in addition to pioneering the Power of Pink gym meets to raise funds for breast cancer research.
During the Power of Pink meets, the teams and fans wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness and a cure, with the money raised going to the DCH Breast Cancer Fund, which helps every woman get a mammogram, regardless of income or insurance.
“My favorite thing is being called the Pink Lady,” Sarah Patterson said. “If those meets convince one woman to go get a mammogram, then they are worth it.”
In terms of their involvement with UWWA, the nonprofit's President & CEO Jackie Wuska convinced Sarah Patterson to serve as the UWWA Campaign Chair, which is tasked with leading the organization’s annual fundraising. She went on to become the first chair to set the goal for more than was raised the previous year and surpassed it with a total of $3,945,067 raises — a record at that time.
Coach Sarah Patterson will be presented the award during the ADT spring celebration on Tuesday, May 2.
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