Thank you for support of 'Finny'

To the editor,

The Wildcat basketball team took the floor on Feb. 13 for their game against Whitefish sporting T-shirts with the motto, "DON'T GIVE UP … DON'T EVER GIVE UP!" emblazoned on the front and "FINNY" on the back. The shirts were donated by Universal Athletics to team members and coaches and were the catalyst for a fundraising effort to support Craig Finberg and his fight against pancreatic cancer.

Feb. 17 we began taking orders for Finny shirts from students, parents and community members. Since that day the effort has netted over $4,100 for Craig.

We would like to thank all who participated in this fundraising effort:

• Universal Athletics for the donation of T-shirts at their cost.

• The Wildkat girls' basketball team which bought into the idea of wearing the Finny shirts on Saturday night at Divisionals and who gave us so much to cheer about during their successful season.

•Joe Sova of the Hungry Horse News, Mike Hammer of KOFI radio and Lisa Delaney of the Valley Views for their cooperation in getting the word out about the shirts.

• John Thompson, CFHS activities director, for his willing cooperation and help whenever needed.

• The "quilt ladies' of the United Methodist Church for sewing the prayer quilt for Craig.

• The community for buying and wearing Finny shirts.

• The individuals who donated monetarily to the fund.

• The student body who changed the cheering section from a "black hole" into a cheering section white with hope for Finny.

And finally, a huge thank you to the Wildcat team for your dedication to the game of basketball. As you know, you were part of something bigger than just a basketball game on Saturday night in Great Falls. When you began practice in November no one would have guessed that you would be playing Dillon on Championship Saturday, with both teams dedicating the game to Craig.

You are our champions, no matter what the final score of the final game of the 2008-09 season. You have made us proud and have honorably carried on a Wildcat tradition that Craig Finberg is a part of.

Thank you and God bless.

Bruce Adams, Joe Smith and Dave Yeats