The ninth annual ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic, a Team ESPN event held at the Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms in Industry Hills, Calif., raised $950,000 in net proceeds for The V Foundation for Cancer Research.
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Sports and entertainment celebrities gather for the annual ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic. The event raised $950,000 for The V Foundation for Cancer Research. (L to R): actor Dave Annable, golfer Natalie Gulbis, basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving, ESPN President George Bodenheimer, V Foundation CEO Nick Valvano, former USC and now N.Y. Jets QB Mark Sanchez
The total was announced by George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN and ABC Sports, and Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks. Bodenheimer presented the check to Nick Valvano, Chief Executive Officer of The V Foundation and brother of the late Jim Valvano, former North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator who co-founded The V Foundation with ESPN.
Among the athletes and celebrities in attendance were Dave Annable, Jim Boeheim, Billy Crudup, Julius Erving, Mike Eruzione, Natalie Gulbis, Evander Holyfield, Bruce Jenner, Joe Mantegna, Willis McGahee, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Ben Roethlisberger, Mark Sanchez, Barry Sanders, Wes Welker and many more.
I’m especially proud that, in this challenging economic environment, nearly $1 million was raised for cancer research – all because of the commitment of our sponsors, celebrities and volunteers.
George Bodenheimer, president ESPN and ABC Sports
Valvano added, “We at The V Foundation are grateful to receive this significant donation that will go directly to cancer research.”
The ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic is part of a series of events tied to the 2009 ESPYs, to be held Wednesday, July 15 in Los Angeles. The 17th annual industry-wide sports celebration gathers top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The event will be televised Sunday, July 19 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN HD. Additionally, ESPN Radio’s Don’t Give Up ESPYs V Foundation Auction concludes Wednesday, July 15.
The V Foundation
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, the Foundation has raised more than $80 million to fund cancer research grants nationwide. It awards 100 percent of all direct cash donations and net proceeds of events directly to cancer research and related programs. The Foundation, which has received five consecutive top 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator, awards grants through a competitive awards process strictly supervised by a Scientific Review Committee. For more information on The V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit www.jimmyv.org.
Team ESPN
Team ESPN encompasses ESPN’s multi-faceted corporate outreach initiatives, including volunteerism, corporate giving and cause marketing, while utilizing its diverse media assets. Through Team ESPN, ESPN employees and fans work together to make a difference in our world and the communities in which we live. Team ESPN… Fans Helping Fans. www.teamespn.com.
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