Tournament focuses on mission to stock local food pantries
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., 2016-Feb-24 — /EPR Retail News/ — Meijer officials announced today that it’s changing the name of its LPGA tournament to the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give in an effort to focus on its cause of stocking local food pantries.
“Thanks to the ongoing community support, the Meijer LPGA Classic has been incredibly successful, providing world-class golf and fun events for families,” Meijer Co-Chairman Doug Meijer said. “But it has made a far greater impact by raising awareness and funding for hunger relief in the Midwest. We are dedicated to this cause.”
The 2016 Meijer LPGA Classic will be held June 13-19 at Blythefield Country Club, and will once again benefit the retailer’s Simply Give program that restocks the shelves of food pantries across the Midwest. The inaugural tournament in 2014 raised more than $600,000, and the 2015 Meijer LPGA Classic generated $750,000 for the Simply Giveprogram.
The program has generated more than $21 million for food pantries across the Midwest since its inception in November 2008.
This year, the tournament will line up with the retailer’s spring Simply Give campaign, which is scheduled to run May 8 through June 19. To participate in the program, customers can purchase a $10 donation card at their local Meijer store, which will be converted into a Meijer food-only gift card and given to the food pantry selected by the store.
“The Meijer LPGA Classic is a great opportunity for the entire community to come together to make a difference,” Tournament Director Lesley Baker said. “We look forward to working with our fantastic sponsors to bring another exciting event to them this year.”
The Meijer LPGA Classic is a world-class tournament that hosts a full field of 144 of the best female golfers playing 72 holes of stroke play over four days of competition.
For more information, please visit MeijerLPGAClassic.com.
About Meijer Simply Give:
Meijer is a family-owned retailer based in Grand Rapids, Mich. with a fundamental philosophy aimed at strengthening the communities it serves. Meijer operates 223 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin, and proudly donates more than 6 percent of its net profit each year to charities throughout the Midwest. With hunger as a corporate philanthropic focus, Meijer partners with hundreds of food banks and pantries through its Simply Give and food rescue programs. Meijer also supports education, disaster relief, and health and wellness initiatives. For additional information on Meijer philanthropy, please visit www.meijercommunity.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.
About Blythefield Country Club:
Located just north of Grand Rapids, Blythefield has been providing families the best golf and social experience in West Michigan since 1928. With the Rogue River flowing through, Blythefield boasts one of the most beautiful championship layouts in Michigan. Previously, Blythefield has hosted the 1953 Western Amateur, the 1961 Western Open, won by Arnold Palmer, and the 2005 Western Junior won by Rickie Fowler. Beginning in 2014 Blythefield is honored to host the Meijer LPGA Classic. Learn more about Blythefield Country Club at www.blythefieldcc.org.
About the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association):
The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women. Founded in 1950, the association celebrates a diverse and storied membership with more than 2,300 members representing more than 30 different countries. With a Vision to inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the very best of women’s golf, LPGA Tour Professionals compete across the globe, while dedicated LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals (T&CP) directly impact the game through teaching, coaching and management. The Symetra Tour consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. The LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida. Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web via: www.LPGA.com, www.facebook.com/LPGA, www.twitter.com/lpga, and www.youtube.com/lpgavideo.
About Octagon Global Events:
Octagon Global Events is a division of Octagon, the world’s largest sports and entertainment representation and marketing agency. Octagon Global Events focuses on premium event/property management, providing strategic corporate solutions. The division currently manages two Champions Tour events, two LPGA Tour events and the Toyota Texas Bass Classic. For more information, visit http://www.octagonglobalevents.com.
Contact: Lesley Baker, Lesley.Baker@octagon.com, 616-426-6225 or Christina Fecher, Christina.Fecher@meijer.com, 616-735-7968
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