FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Joyce Smart, Corporate Communications, 864-286-2867
BI-LO CHARITY CLASSIC RAISES OVER $5.5 MILLION
Record-breaking amount raised for local charities
MAULDIN, SC (June 13, 2007) – The 2007 BI-LO Charity Classic has raised over $5.55 million in this year’s 24th annual golf event, which took place on June 11 on 14 golf courses in North and South Carolina. This breaks the tournament’s record of $5.51 million set last year.
Recognized as the nation’s largest one-day benefit golf tournament, the BI-LO Charity Classic hosted 1470 golfers for the weekend’s events. The tournament raises funds for charitable organizations in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee.
“The money we raise significantly impacts all of the communities in which we operate, so we’re thrilled with this record-breaking total,” said Brian Hotarek, BI-LO’s president and CEO. “Needs continue to increase each year and so we try to step up our giving.”
During a year in which the chain has announced it is seeking a new owner, Hotarek expressed appreciation to the vendors that supported the tournament at unprecedented levels. “Our team at BI-LO considers this a strong vote of confidence in our future,” said Hotarek.
This year also saw the first hole-in-one since 2003. Steve Arrick with Dean Foods hit a hole-in-one on the Chanticleer golf course at the Greenville Country Club. Over the past 24 years, only three other people have scored holes-in-one. The feat earned Arrick a two-year lease on a Lexus, thanks to the Charity Classic’s partnership with Lexus of Greenville.
Golfers at The Reserve at Lake Keowee enjoyed one of the biggest surprises of the day: an unannounced visit by world-famous golfer Arnold Palmer. According to Bo Bowden, Course Pro at The Reserve, Palmer had been scheduled to visit the course to do an interview with Golf Week and to take some pictures for an upcoming advertising campaign. When Bowden asked Palmer if he would be willing to speak to the group, Palmer obliged. “We thought it was a great way to kick off our involvement with the tournament,” said Bowden. This was the first year that The Reserve served as a host course for the BI-LO Charity Classic
Another addition to this year’s weekend events was the inaugural First Tee Invitational, presented by the BI-LO Charity Classic, which was played on Friday at the Furman University Golf Club in Greenville, SC. The First Tee Invitational brought together twelve children from all five of The First Tee Chapters of South Carolina (located in Greenville, Spartanburg, Columbia, Sumter and Myrtle Beach) as well as an additional 12 from The Fairway Outreach program of Columbia.
This year’s inaugural tournament honored the founders of the BI-LO Charity Classic: Dean Anderson, retired CEO of Leslie Advertising; Larry Greer, Principal of Western Marketing; Doug Smith, former General Manager at WYFF in Greenville; and Bill Yingling, former President of BI-LO.
Founded in 1984 as a fundraiser for Meals on Wheels of Greenville, BI-LO’s annual golf tournament has now raised almost $40 million since its inception, placing funding emphasis on hunger relief, children’s charities and education. Meals on Wheels organizations in all four states that BI-LO serves receive funding from the Charity Classic, helping these groups serve 11,421 meals to the elderly and disabled every day of the year.
In addition to corporate grants, each BI-LO supermarket conducts a local fundraising campaign to assist a charity in their community. BI-LO supermarkets raised almost $600,000 with scan donations, all of which will stay in their own communities.
Headquartered in Mauldin, SC, BI-LO operates 227 supermarkets in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. The company employs approximately 17,000 people.