CEDAR CITY, Utah (September 9, 2026) - The Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games, a Southern Utah University engagement event that serves as the official state games for the state of Utah, will be a featured organization in the inaugural 'Utah Youth Sports Giving Day' campaign.
The philanthropic initiative, which is backed by the Larry H. and Gail Miller Family Foundation, Daniels Fund, and other notable Utah organizations, is meant to provide support to youth sports organizations in the state of Utah who are committed to keeping youth sports participation affordable. As part of the campaign, all donations that are given to the Utah Summer Games during the period of September 12 - 26 at https://www.utahgives.org/organization/Utahsummergamesfoundation will be matched at 100%.
In honor of the program's season-long 40th Anniversary celebration in 2026, LHM USG is looking to raise $40,000 to help the event continue to provide first-of-class sports experiences for youth at affordable prices, while also continuing to make the experience accessible for families through not charging admission fees for spectators. In addition, the funds will help provide start-up costs for new sports and initiatives to provide competitive opportunities for emerging youth sports.
"We are grateful to be included in the inaugural 'Utah Youth Sports Giving Day' campaign," said Jon Oglesby, Assistant Vice President, Sports and Destination Engagement at Southern Utah University. "Funds that are generously provided to the program through this campaign will help us continue to provide elite competition to athletes in an affordable manner that encourages participation. We are thankful for our friends at the Miller Foundation, Daniels Fund, and other generous donors for seeing the value of keeping youth sports participation affordable for families in Utah and the Intermountain West."
The Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games featured 11,144 athletes in the 2026 Program Year, competing in 48 different competitive activities. The Games had 7,685 youth participants, offering competitive and instructional opportunities for youth in both team and individual sports.
Donors interested in providing gifts to the Utah Summer Games Foundation over $1,000 are encouraged to directly email Jon Oglesby at jonoglesby@suu.edu for information on how to efficiently do so while qualifying for the fund match. All gifts are encouraged to go through the Utah Gives portal to qualify for the fund match.
Registration for the 2027 Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games will open on December 1 at utahsummergames.org. The 2027 Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games Opening Ceremony, presented by State Bank of Southern Utah, is scheduled for Friday, June 4. A tentative schedule of 2027 events is available at utahsummergames.org.
