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Florida Flame-Century 21 Sunbelt Celebrity Golf Classic Set For October 9 and 10 at Bonita Bay Club

August 25, 2005 - NBA G League (G League)
Florida Flame News Release


FORT MYERS, Fla., August 25, 2005 - The Florida Flame of the NBA Development League along with Century 21 Sunbelt Realty are presenting the inaugural Florida Flame-Century 21 Sunbelt Celebrity Golf Classic benefiting Easter Seals to be held on October 9 & 10 at the Bonita Bay Club in Bonita Springs. The event will bring participants side-by-side with professional athletes and local celebrities for a two-day event that aims to raise over $400,000 to assist Easter Seals with their efforts to provide equality to children and adults with disabilities.

The event will include a classic Black Tie Dinner and Auction scheduled for Sunday, October 9 and 18-hole golf tournament to be played on Monday, October 10 on the Bay Island and Creekside courses at Bonita Bay Club.

To date, celebrity participants invited to participate in the two day event include: Bill Walton, Jeff Malone, George Gervin,, Jim Jensen, Nate "Tiny" Archibald, Tim Hardaway, Robert Parish, Jack Marin, Dominique Wilkins, Artis Gilmore, Dave Cowens, Clyde Drexler, Jamal Mashburn, Walt Wesley, Mike Trombley and Saul Smith.

The classic Black Tie Charity Dinner will be held at the Bonita Bay Club and will be highlighted by a five-course dinner featuring the best Bonita Bay has to offer. The Easter Seals live and silent auction will follow with a vast array of items to be auctioned, including sports merchandise, NBA getaway packages, NFL packages, electronics, fine jewelry, artwork, and various other collectibles provided by local Southwest Florida merchants. Featured auction items include a framed giclee hand-signed by Michael Jordan, a Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio luxury shadowbox including autographed baseballs, and Masters Champions luxury shadowbox with hand-signed Masters scorecards by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Tiger Woods. All proceeds from the dinner and auction benefit the Easter Seals Camp Challenge.

The 18-hole golf tournament features a modified scramble format along with Hole in One, Longest Drive, and Closest to the Pin contests as well as the Trademark Films Longest Putt Challenge.

An entry fee for individual golfers is $425 with a foursome price of $1700. Contributions include greens fees, golf cart, VIP gift bag, catered lunch, and tickets to the Black Tie Dinner and Auction. Tickets to the black tie dinner can be purchased for $100 by calling (239) 561-8130.

The Florida Flame-Century 21 Sunbelt Celebrity Golf Classic also offers a wide range of sponsorship opportunities and packages. For more information concerning sponsorship opportunities, to participate in the Florida Flame-Century 21 Sunbelt Celebrity Golf Classic & Black Tie Dinner, or donate items to be auctioned, visit the tournament website at www.C21SunbeltCelebrityGolfClassic.com or contact Tournament Director, Brandon Phillips at (239)-561-8130.

The Florida Flame and Century 21 Sunbelt are also requesting the assistance of donors for Sunday night's inaugural charity live and silent auctions. In appreciation of their support, companies will be recognized on the donor's list displayed at the auction site and Black Tie Dinner. Businesses will also receive a donor form that allows them to deduct the retail value of their contribution. Auction donor reply forms and sponsorship reply forms can be downloaded from the Florida Flame-Century 21 Sunbelt Celebrity Golf Classic website at www.C21SunbeltCelebrityGolfClassic.com.

About Easter Seals Camp Challenge:

Located in Sorrento, Florida, near Orlando, Camp Challenge is a 63-acre fully accredited and accessible, outdoor, barrier-free camp which provides children and adults with disabilities the opportunity to learn new skills, be independent and make lifetime friendships. According to the American Camping Association website only two camps in Florida serve campers exclusively with disabilities. Camp Challenge is the only ACA accredited camp in the state that specializes in assisting the needs of both children and adults from throughout Florida. Participation in this year's Florida Flame-Century 21 Sunbelt Celebrity Golf Classic allows for refurbishment of Camp Challenge's pool area, cabins, dining building, pond and pavilion. Updates to each of these areas are vital to the overall experience of each camper's special needs.

Celebrity Invitee Biographies

- Bill Walton - NBA and college basketball legend won two titles as a professional with the Portland Trailblazers (1977) and Boston Celtics (1986). One of the greatest players in college basketball history, Walton earned three straight College Player of the Year Awards and four national titles while playing for the legendary John Wooden at UCLA.

- George "Iceman" Gervin - Hall of Famer who earned four scoring titles during a 14-year professional career with the ABA's Virginia Squires, and NBA's San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls. Only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan have won more NBA scoring crowns than Gervin's four. Ranks 27th all-time on the NBA scoring charts (20,708 points) and eighth all-time in scoring average (26.2 points per game).

- Tim Hardaway -- Five-time NBA All-Star with the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors during a 13-year pro career. Hardaway is the Miami Heat's all-time leader in assists and reached 5,000 points and 2,500 assists faster than any player in NBA history, except for Oscar Robertson. Hardaway currently ranks 9th all-time in assists average (8.2) and 12th all-time in total assists (7,095).

- Jeff Malone -- Two-time NBA All-Star who scored 17,231 points in a 13-year NBA career with the Washington Bullets, Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat. The all-time leading scorer in Mississippi State University history with 2,142 points, Malone was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year by UPI in 1983 after averaging 26.8 points per game.

- Robert Parish -- The NBA's all-time leader in games played (1,611). Parish played 21 seasons NBA winning three titles with the Boston Celtics (1981, 1984, 1986) and one with the Chicago Bulls (1997). Elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003, Parish earned nine All-Star selections and is was named as one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1996.

- Nate "Tiny" Archibald -- The only player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring and assists in a single season (34.0 ppg and 11.4 apg in 1972-73 for the Kansas City-Omaha Kings). Rising from desperate surroundings to extraordinary heights, Archibald played 14 seasons in the NBA and earned an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 1981.

- Dominique Wilkins - "The Human Highlight Film" was named to seven All-NBA teams and nine consecutive All-Star squads while leading the Atlanta Hawks from 1983-1994. Wilkins ranks ninth on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 26,668 points and 11th all-time in scoring average, averaging 24.8 points per contest. The two-time Slam Dunk Champion is currently the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Hawks.

- Clyde Drexler - One of basketball's all-time great guards, Clyde "The Glide" Drexler was known for his high-flying yet seemingly effortless swoops to the basket. After starring at the University of Houston on the legendary "Phi Slamma Jamma" squads of the early 1980's, Drexler went on to re-write the Portland Trailblazers record books as a pro. Drexler twice led the Blazers to the NBA Finals and finally earned a championship as a member of the Houston Rockets in 1995.

- Jim Jensen - A 12-year veteran of the National Football League with the Miami Dolphis, Jensen appeared in 164 games during his pro career. Jensen's versatility and special teams play earned him the nickname "Crash". Originally out of Boston University, Jensen played quarterback, wide receiver, running back, fullback, tight end, holder, and long snapper for the Dolphins during the 1980's and early 1990's.

- Walt Wesley - Fort Myers resident and 10-year NBA veteran with eight teams, including the Cincinnati Royals, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Bullets, Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Los Angeles Lakers. Wesley averaged 8.5 points per game during his NBA career.

- Dave Cowens - A mainstay of the Boston Celtics during the 1970's and Hall of Famer, Cowens led Boston to NBA titles in 1974 and 1976. Cowens' consistency, work ethic, and versatility established him as one of the most well respected centers in NBA history.

- Chuck Daly - One of basketball's premier coaches, Daly led the Detroit Pistons to back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990. Daly spent 12 seasons as a coach in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, and New Jersey Nets, earning 564 victories which ranks 13th all-time. The Hall of Fame coach also led the "Dream Team" to the gold medal in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

- Artis Gilmore - An intimidating force in the middle during the 1970's and 1980's, the 7-2 Gilmore played a total of 17 years in the ABA and NBA with the Kentucky Colonels, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, and Boston Celtics. A six-time All-Star selection out of the University of Jacksonville, Gilmore earned an ABA championship with Kentucky in 1975.

- Mike Trombley - An 11-year major league baseball veteran with the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Baltimore Orioles. The right-hander appeared in 509 major league games recording 672 strikeouts as a relief pitcher.

- Jamal Mashburn - 12-year NBA veteran who is currently a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. The small forward from the University of Kentucky was originally drafted fourth overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1993 NBA Draft and went on to become one of the top scoring forwards in the game with Dallas, Miami, and the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets.

- Jack Marin - An All-American at Duke University, Marin led the Blue Devils to the NCAA Final Four in 1964 and 1966 before taking his skills to the NBA. A first round draft pick of the Baltimore Bullets in the 1966 NBA Draft, Marin went on to play 11 seasons in the professional ranks with Baltimore, Houston, Buffalo, and Chicago.

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