June 3, 2008

What do hockey players do in the summer? Play golf in Thunder Bay!

On July 24, 2008, teams of golfers will be joined by celebrity hockey players in the bestball tournament in support of the Northern Cancer Fund of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.

Trevor Letowski, Right Wing player for the Carolina Hurricanes, is one of the homegrown hockey superstars who will participate in the Freedom 55 Financial Thunder Bay Hockey Celebrity Golf Classic. “It’s great to return to my home community and get involved with this event,” he says. “I stay connected to the people of this area and help fight cancer in Northwestern Ontario. It’s an honour to be part of it.”

Mr. Letowski has generously participated in the event since its inception three years ago. In the past, Trevor was joined by fellow hockey greats Eric Staal, Jordan Staal, Mark Staal, Jared Staal, Alex Auld, Patrick Sharp, Tyler Pyatt, Jeff Heerema and many others.

Although the list of this year’s participants is under lock and key, it can be anticipated that the line up will be equally as impressive. In an exciting new twist, golfers will be able to bid on the first draft pick of the day, enabling the highest bidder to select the hockey celebrity to join his/her team.

Freedom 55 Financial demonstrated an outstanding level of commitment to the event by doubling the amount of their previous sponsorships. “The Celebrity Golf Classic provides our community with a wonderful opportunity to welcome hockey legends in support of an important cause,” says Director, Business Development and event chair Tom Mihaljevic. “We are proud to increase our contribution to $10,000 in an effort to raise additional funds for cancer patients in Northwestern Ontario.”

Glenn Craig, President & CEO of the Health Sciences Foundation, notes that the tournament has a large impact on the Northern Cancer Fund’s mission to raise funds that are 100% dedicated to supporting excellence in cancer care in Northwestern Ontario. “We are incredibly grateful to be the recipient of proceeds from the Freedom 55 Financial Thunder Bay Hockey Celebrity Golf Classic. Freedom 55 Financial’s $10,000 sponsorship is a meaningful investment in the people of this region,” he says.

The Freedom 55 Financial Thunder Bay Hockey Celebrity Golf Classic will be held at Whitewater Golf Course on Thursday, July 24, 2008, beginning with a media Bar-B-Que at 11:00 am and a shot-gun start at 1:00 pm. In addition to playing 18 holes of golf with a celebrity hockey player, participants will enjoy dinner and live and silent auctions.

There are still opportunities to get involved with the Celebrity Golf Classic. For information on player registration, volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Tom Mihaljevic at 343-4788.

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