Clippards honor Fulmer; last game benefits Jason Foundation

A great night for Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer on Saturday also turned into a pretty good night for the Jason Foundation.

The Jason Foundation is a national charity organization that promotes awareness and prevention of teenage suicide. Fulmer is its national spokesperson.

Scooter Clippard, a former Tennessee trustee and athletic board member, got the idea from his wife, Fran, to use Fulmer's last game at UT as a way to help promote a charity for which the coach cares deeply.

"She got the idea in church," Clippard said Saturday night. "The preacher was talking about greed and how everything is about money. Fran thought of this as a way to do something special to honor Phillip."

The Clippards began promoting the drive in Nashville and raised $100,000 for the cause. Scooter Clippard said one donor gave $25,000 anonymously.

Then at Saturday night's game, volunteers waited outside of the five main gates to Neyland Stadium to take donations from fans.

"I have no idea how much was raised there," Scooter Clippard said, "but if every fan just gave a dollar it would have been substantial."

Scooter Clippard said he was a walk-on while Fulmer played at UT and they struck up a friendship then.

He said he plans to have the Fulmers present a check to Clark Flatt, the founder and national chairman of the Jason Foundation, when the final total is in.

He complimented the Tennessee athletic department for its cooperation in the fund drive, adding that UT supplied some of the volunteers who worked the stadium gates.

Steve Ahillen may be reached at 865 342-6259

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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