Bank of America and Champions Tour Salute U.S. Troops at 2007 Bank of America Championship
       By: Bank of America
Posted: 2007-06-23 13:54:04
Bank of America, title sponsor of the Bank of America Championship since 1993, and the Champions Tour dedicated the 2007 tournament to U.S. troops with a series of activities to honor America's active duty and veteran military personnel and their families.

As part of the military tribute, two combat wounded veterans from the war in Iraq, retired Army Staff Sergeant Dan Nevins (Jacksonville, FL) and Army Sergeant Sean Lewis (Dale City, VA), played the final nine holes in the first round of the Bank of America Championship, along with New England Patriots linebacker Larry Izzo. This marks the first time wounded military personnel have played in a Champions Tour sanctioned tournament during a competitive round.

After the round, Bank of America donated $50,000 to the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project and $10,000 to Larry Izzo Salute to the Troops, and presented the disabled veterans with replicas of the Minuteman Trophy, the official trophy of the Bank of America Championship.

"At Bank of America, doing the right thing for communities is a core value, and no community has been left untouched by America's conflicts abroad," said Tom Murach, Military Support Executive for Bank of America. "Teaming up with the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project at this year's Bank of America Championship is a natural extension of the support we provide troops through our Military Bank, which offers specialized products and services to military personnel. Through the activities we've deployed at the tournament and funding from the Bank of America Championship, we're pleased to continue our support for America's heroes."

New England Patriots linebacker Larry Izzo lent his support to the military tribute by playing with the two wounded veterans in the first round of the Bank of America Championship. In 2005, Izzo made a life-changing visit to U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. During that visit, he promised to work on behalf of the troops and their families - a commitment he made in the memory of his father, a graduate of West Point and retired Colonel who passed away in 2003.

"It's a privilege to team-up with Bank of America to honor our military, especially troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Izzo. "I have seen first-hand the enormous mental and physical demands placed upon soldiers who suffer debilitating injuries in the service of our country. I used to think that the legs and arms were a person's strength, but in watching their recovery I now know the strongest part of the body is really the heart."

Other activities deployed during tournament week included:

- Bank of America Championship Salute to the Troops Golf Clinic, Wednesday, June 20, - Two wounded military veterans who have participated in previous Wounded Warrior golf programs hosted a clinic for eight soldiers recuperating from injuries suffered in the service of our country. During the clinic, Bank of America executives, along with Champions Tour professionals and Vietnam veterans Larry Nelson and Ed Dougherty, presented these heroes with specialized golf equipment to help them continue their rehabilitation.

- Bank of America Championship Salute to the Troops Special Pro-Am, Thursday, June 21 - Two wounded military veterans played in the Championship Pro-Am as guests of Bank of America. The foursome played with Champions Tour professional Larry Nelson, who also is a veteran of the Vietnam War.

- Military Appreciation Day, Friday, June 22 - All active duty and veteran military personnel received free admission to the Bank of America Championship.

"Golf is a sport that challenges players' minds, spirits and bodies, while entertaining spectators with the drama of individual competition. We are proud to join Bank of America in this celebration of our active military and veterans, to show appreciation for their sacrifices these patriots have made and to help injured troops recover," said Rick George President of the Champions Tour. "It is a privilege to have the PGA TOUR's own Dan Nevins, who was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained during his tour of duty in Iraq, playing today. He now serves as the PGA TOUR's Community Outreach Manager, responsible for overseeing the TOUR's growing initiative supporting military men and women and their families."

Bank of America has provided specialized financial services to military personnel since 1920. Today, the Military Bank offers special rates, products and services to active duty, retired, or former military members and their dependents, as well as active and retired Federal Government employees, ROTC students, and military reservists/National Guard members. Nationwide, Bank of America provides these specialized financial services for military personnel through more than 270 banking centers, including 34 dedicated Military Bank locations. The overseas division of the Military Bank manages approximately 90 banking centers and more than 300 ATMs in eight foreign countries through a contract with the Department of Defense.

The twenty-seventh annual Bank of America Championship takes place June 18-24 at Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord. This is a comeback year for the tournament, which last year became only the third tournament in PGA TOUR history to be cancelled because of inclement weather. Despite the cancellation and through the efforts of Bank of America, the Champions Tour and many other partners, the Bank of America Championship still donated $418,000 to local charities. The tournament is the oldest 54-hole event on the Champions Tour and has been held at Nashawtuc Country Club since 1984. Over the past 26 years, the tournament has donated more than $4.5 million to local charities.

Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving more than 56 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 5,700 retail banking offices, more than 17,000 ATMs and award-winning online banking with nearly 22 million active users. Bank of America is the No. 1 overall Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in the United States and the No. 1 SBA lender to minority-owned small businesses. The company serves clients in 175 countries and has relationships with 98 percent of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies and 80 percent of the Fortune Global 500. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. http://www.bankofamerica.com.

The Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project is a partnership between Disabled Sports USA, its chapters and the Wounded Warrior Project, providing year round sports programs for severely wounded service members from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict and the Global War on Terrorism. The sudden, traumatic change in physical ability from an injury makes service members vulnerable to psychological, emotional and physical conditions, which can severely impact them and their families. Thirty-seven years of experience has shown early intervention with active sports results in successful rehabilitation, leading to employment. The "Wounded Warriors" and their family members are provided these opportunities free of charge, including transportation, lodging, adaptive equipment and individualized instruction in over a dozen different winter and summer sports. Programs take place at sites throughout the United States of America offering Wounded Warriors the opportunity to integrate as participants and mentors in their home communities. Sports success provides a foundation for the development of a positive self-image and outlook on life. This transformation is a key factor in leading an independent, full and productive life.

The Champions Tour is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older. Conceived in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour, it started with just four events and purses totaling $475,000. The Champions Tour will feature a minimum of 29 official events offering $54.1 million in prize money in 2007 and its highest average purse ever of $1.86 million. The Champions Tour operates under the umbrella of the PGA TOUR which includes the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour. The Champions Tour's primary purpose as an entity of the PGA TOUR is to provide significant competitive and earnings opportunities for players age 50 and older; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, Champions Tour events also generate significant sums of money for charity. The commissioner of the PGA TOUR is Tim Finchem. Rick George is president of the Champions Tour. TOUR headquarters is in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Trackback url: https://press.abc-directory.com/press/1659