Sportable Executives Latimer, Lodge Honored with Prestigious Awards

RICHMOND, VA – (Thursday, May 9, 2024) – Sportable, Central Virginia’s premier adaptive sports club, is proud to announce Development Director Katy Latimer and Director of Strategic Partnerships Forrest Lodge were honored this week as recipients of the Virginia Association of Fundraising Executives (VAFRE) Rising Star Award and the Richmond Region Tourism MVP Sports Award, respectively.

Latimer was presented with the VAFRE Rising Star Award at the Annual Awards Reception at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU. The VAFRE Rising Star Award is made annually to a fundraising professional who exhibits excellent potential and who has demonstrated remarkable talents at an early stage in their fundraising career. Award winners are selected from a competitive field of finalists who are nominated by VAFRE members, area fundraisers, and board members.

“We are incredibly proud of Katy, and are so thankful that she has been part of the Sportable team for the past two years,” commented Hunter Leemon, Sportable Chief Executive Officer. “Her work has made an immense impact on our mission, her energy and optimism are contagious, and she is a great team player. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for her at Sportable.”

Joining Sportable as Development Director in August 2022, Latimer oversees all aspects of the organization’s fundraising efforts, including managing a comprehensive annual fund plan that supports the organization’s operations. She is the former Development Director at Rx Partnership and had previous stints at Daily Planet Health Services and Fairy Godmother Project. She is a native of Richmond, VA and graduate of the University of Mary Washington.

Lodge’s efforts to bring the NWBA Wheelchair Basketball National Championships to Richmond were recognized with the MVP Sports Award during the Richmond Region Tourism Awards and Annual Meeting at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. The MVP Sports Award is given annually to an individual or organization who has made major contributions and/or has been of service to the growth of sports tourism in the Richmond Region.

“It has been such a joy to watch Forrest grow at Sportable for almost a decade,” continued Leemon. “From starting at the organization without much experience in adaptive sports, to becoming an industry leader and part of a team that produces top class events, his journey has been awesome. We are thankful he is on our team.”

With more than eight years of experience managing Sportable’s adaptive sports programming, Lodge was promoted to Director of Strategic Partnerships in September 2023. As a member of the executive team, he plays a critical role in forming and maintaining external relationships while guiding the organization’s industry leadership. A native of Richmond, VA and a graduate of James Madison University, Lodge also holds a Master’s Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center for Sport Leadership.

“We are so happy for both Katy and Forrest,” added Leemon. “To have their work recognized by their peers is a wonderful testament to the impact they create at Sportable, and in the communities we serve. We are only as good as the people on our team, and in Katy and Forrest we have two of the best.”