ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic Raises Record $1.3 Million for the V Foundation for Cancer Research

ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic Raises Record $1.3 Million for the V Foundation for Cancer Research

LOS ANGELES, July 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2007 ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic, held today at the Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms in Industry Hills, Calif., raised an event record $1.3 million in net proceeds for The V Foundation for Cancer Research; the total was announced by George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN and ABC Sports and Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks.

(Photo:

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070710/LATU179 ) "It's inspiring to see sponsors, celebrities and volunteers joining together at this beautiful course for this great cause," Bodenheimer said. "The $1.3 million raised will go directly to research for cancer which affects too many of our families and friends."

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.

A variety of top sports and entertainment celebrities were on hand for the seventh annual ESPY Golf Classic, which will be featured on ESPN Classic August 12 at 11:00 a.m. ET/8:00 a.m. PT. Each year, the fundraising efforts for the ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic have significantly increased. The first year (2002) generated $125,000, followed by $250,000 (2003), $500,000 (2004), $1,000,000 (2005) and $1.1 million in 2006.

Among the 50 athletes and celebrities in attendance were Ray Allen, Dave Annable, Layne Beachly, Linda Cohn, Warrick Dunn, Braylon Edwards, Chris Harrison, Lou Holtz, Dhani Jones, Matthew Lillard, Branford Marsalis, Sal Masekela, Jerry O'Connell, Haley Joel Osment, Shaun Phillips, Andy Richter, Ben Roethlisberger, Stuart Scott, Joe Theismann, Adam Vinatieri, Spud Webb, Kellen Winslow, Sr. and many others.

The ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic is part of a series of events tied to the 2007 ESPYs. The 15th annual industry-wide sports celebration, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and LeBron James, will gather 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, which will take place Wednesday, July 11 at The Kodak Theater in Hollywood, will be televised Sunday, July 15 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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 $60 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 http://www.jimmyv.org/

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Photo: NewsCom:

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070710/LATU179
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Source: ESPN

CONTACT: Angela Hein of Bob Gold & Associates, +1-310-784-1040,
angela@bobgoldpr.com, for ESPN and The V Foundation; or Josh Krulewitz of
ESPN, +1-860-766-2000, Josh.krulewitz@espn.com

Web site:

http://www.bobgoldpr.com/

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