MALVERN, Pa. — (February 21, 2007) – As Humphrey Bogart said in the closing scene of Casablanca, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
The same thoughts come to mind as TD Banknorth and the Divine 9 Celebrity Pro-Am enter into a multi-year agreement with a common goal of putting on a first-class golf event in the Philadelphia area, all benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
TD Banknorth will serve as the presenting sponsor of the TD Banknorth Divine 9 Celebrity Pro-Am at White Manor CC on September 14th. As the brainchild of the husband and wife team of Jeff Dittus and Stefanie Langer, the event has raised more than $500,000 in its first three years. It is now the fastest growing, most profitable golf charity event in the region.
Securing TD Banknorth as the presenting sponsor is another step toward Dittus’ goal, as tournament founder, of both growing the Divine 9 and improving the tournament scene in the Philadelphia area. After witnessing three years of 20 percent growth, TD Banknorth is excited about assisting the tournament in attracting named golf professionals and national celebrities to the event, as well as giving back to the local community by raising money for blood cancer research and patient services.
"From the beginning, we had our sights set on establishing a major event in the area," said Dittus. "We’ve heard all of the rumors about other possible events, only to see them die because they didn’t have a title sponsor. Our efforts have been focused on building a stable base of 60 corporate sponsors and 40 volunteers that give their time and money. Taking one step at a time has assisted us in securing a presenting sponsor that can help us promote the event more broadly."
TD Banknorth is among the 25 largest commercial banking organizations in America, with more than $40 billion in assets. In the Mid-Atlantic region, TD Banknorth is headquartered in Mahwah, New Jersey, and operates 180 branches throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the metropolitan New York area. Now, it is backing up the expansion with more community involvement.
"We have a solid commitment to community involvement," said Joe McNeff, vice president of wealth management for TD Banknorth. "Sponsoring The Divine 9 Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament is a wonderful way TD Banknorth supports the Philadelphia community and one of the world’s largest voluntary health organizations dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education, and patient services."
About the Divine 9:
The fourth Divine 9 Celebrity Pro-Am will be held at White Manor CC on Friday, September 14, 2007 and will again benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Over three years since inception, the tournament has raised more than $500,000 for blood cancer research and patient services. The 2006 presenting sponsors were Axis Construction Services, Merriman Curhan Ford & Co. and Schiffrin & Barroway, LLC.
About TD Banknorth
TD Banknorth provides customers with a full line of retail banking products and services, including commercial and consumer products, trust and investment services, commercial and personal insurance and residential mortgages. TD Banknorth has served customers and communities in the Mid-Atlantic region for more than 100 years and is recognized for a commitment to personalized service, long-term customer relationships, local decision-making and community involvement. TD Banknorth’s Mid-Atlantic Division is part of TD Banknorth, N.A., the banking subsidiary of TD Banknorth Inc., a financial services company headquartered in Portland, Maine and a majority-owned subsidiary of TD Bank Financial Group. For more information visit www.TDBanknorth.com.
For more information, contact TL Golf Services at 610-279-9220 or The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at 610-521-8274.
Contact:
TL Golf Services
610-279-9220 or tleodora@aol.com
