Louisville Cardinals coach to keynote Springfield charity dinner

Louisville Cardinals head basketball coach Rick Pitino is scheduled to keynote Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield's largest fundraising event next year.

The Kentucky coach, who was the first in NCAA history to win national championships at two different schools, has agreed to serve as the the guest speaker for the Springfield nonprofits 18th annual Steak & Steak Dinner and Charity Auction, scheduled April 22 at University Plaza, according to a news release.

Funding raised during the event bridges the gap between the $30 club fee members pay each semester and the more than $1,000 it costs to provide programs to them. The Steak & Steak event has been held since 1997, and last year raised more than $175,000 when roughly 1,000 people turned up to the event keynoted by Nick Saban, head coach of the University of Alabama football team.

Dr. Robert Steele, president of the event's lead sponsor, Mercy-Springfield, broke the news about Pitino by tweeting about the keynote speaker early yesterday.