Shaquille O’Neal Takes a Swing during the celebrity tournament at the New Rosen Shingle Creek and Shingle Creek Golf Club.
ORLANDO (Oct. 5, 2007) – The Four Diamond Rosen Shingle Creek hotel and Shingle Creek Golf Club scored huge knockouts on September 13 and 14 when it hosted the Second Annual Shaquille O’Neal-led "Shaq’s Mama Said Knock You Out" Celebrity Golf Tournament and Gala.
The event was hosted by Lucille O’Neal and her son Shaquille to benefit the Odessa Chambliss "Quality of Life Fund" that provides nursing scholarships for colleges throughout the country, including the University of Central Florida and Valencia Community College. The fund is named in honor of Lucille O’Neal’s mother and Shaquille O’Neal’s grandmother, Odessa Chambliss (www.ocqualityoflifefund.com), who worked for over 16 years in the nursing profession and who passed away in 1996. Funds raised at this year’s event put the charity over the million dollar mark for money raised since its inception.
This year’s ’70s themed "Shaq-adellic" affair was far out, groovy and incredibly well attended by a sellout crowd of locals and celebrities. Shaq Daddy himself — Shaquille O’Neal – along with his "mama" Lucille, led the all-star list of celebrities, including many from the world of sports, including two other NBA legends named among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History – Charles Barkley and Julius "Dr. J" Erving — as well as former Orlando Magic star and Atlanta Hawks radio announcer Dennis Scott. Other shining luminaries included Alonzo Mourning, Shaq’s teammate on the 2006 NBA Champion Miami Heat; Matt Geiger, former Philadelphia 76er NBA Star; Gerald Wilkins, retired NBA player; Steven A. Smith, ESPN Analyst; Sam Jones, NBA Hall of Famer; Bob Beamen, Olympic Gold Medalist; Alberta "Birdie" Grffey, mother of Ken Griffey, Jr.; Andia Winslow, LPGA Golfer and Dee Brown, Retired NBA Player and Coach extraordinaire.
This year’s entertainment was provided by the beautiful and talented Sunnie Paxson, in addition to "Da Funny Man" Comedian, James Stephens III. The star-studded outing was highlighted with a presentation by Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed, president of Bethune Cookman University, who announced the opening of the Odessa Chambliss Nurse Managed Community Clinic currently being completed as part of the School of Nursing in Daytona Beach, FL.
Alonzo Mourning, Lucille O’Neal, Matt Geiger, Leslie Menichini, Shaquille O’Neal and Dave Scott.
"We are delighted with the success of the event at Shingle Creek," says Lucille O’Neal. "Our goal was to ‘knock out’ our guests with comedy, music and laughter to raise money for scholarships. The turnout was outstanding, the golf course and gala were magnificent. We thank everyone for their support – the Orlando community, our incredible sponsors and our family and friends."
"It’s a privilege to be associated with Lucille and Shaquille," says Leslie Menichini, Director of Sales and Marketing, Rosen Shingle Creek. "Shaq was a monument — both in social stature and physical size — when he played for the Orlando Magic. We think it says a lot that he and his mother chose to have the event here."
Dave Scott, Director of Golf, Shingle Creek Golf Club, concurred, adding "Our facility has already established a reputation for excellence and we intend for that to continue as more and more people get to know about Rosen Shingle Creek."
Event sponsors included: WLOQ 103.1, Golf Life Orlando, 102 JAMZ, Steve and Ellen Jackson Foundation, 24 Hour Fitness, Mine O’ Mine, Inc., Harris Rosen and Rosen Shingle Creek hotel and Shingle Creek Golf Club, Merck, Florida Memorial University, Ovarian Cancer Alliance, Universal Studios, NGI/Martha Korman, Celebrity Fight Night, Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, Mercedes Benz of South Orlando, Bethune – Cookman University, Skanska, Turner Construction, Mears Transportation, Ginger Wine & Spirits, Charlie Rosenberg, Jacques Cardin Cognac, Hill Ventures, Mazzone & Associates, Vitamin Water, Celebrity Jazz Signature Wines, Hemisphere International, Orlando Style Magazine, Orlando Leisure Magazine, Central Florida Lifestyle, Golf Life Orlando, Martin Lithograph Inc., Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tri City Electrical, Nemours, Orlando Regional Healthcare Foundation, Orlando Regional Hospital, Turner Construction, Valencia Community College Foundation, Tavistock Foundation, Advanced Psychological Sevices, Windermere Fine Art & Custom Framing, Turn 2 Foundation, Michael Kushner w/LMK Productions, MJM Creative Services, Inc., National Basketball Association, ASI Production Services, Inc., ASR Pro Events, Electro Magic, All Staging Unlimited, Fashion Fair Cosmetics and Friedman’s Shoes, Inc.
Rosen Shingle Creek is a magnificent 1,500-room luxury hotel featuring an array of amenities including a full-service Spa at Shingle Creek featuring nine treatment rooms and a state-of-the-art Fitness Center, twelve dining/lounging options, four swimming pools, two lighted tennis courts, sand volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, and more. Uniquely situated on 230 acres on Shingle Creek, headwaters to the Florida Everglades, the hotel also offers jogging and nature trails, fishing and incredible views.
Shingle Creek Golf Club was recently named one of the top 100 golf shops in the U.S. by Golf Shop magazine. In June 2005, Shingle Creek was named a "Top 40 Best New Course" by Golfweek magazine, followed a month later by being named one of the "Top 10 Toughest Courses" by the Orlando Business Journal.
The David Harman designed course features undulating fairways and interconnecting waterways bordered by the natural backdrop of dense oaks and pines along historic Shingle Creek. Shingle Creek Golf Club features a state-of-the-art practice facility, the Brad Brewer Golf Academy, a world-class clubhouse, golf carts with UpLink GPS yardage system, complimentary valet parking, full-service golf shop, and club and shoe rentals.
For information about the Odessa Quality of Life Fund and nursing scholarships, or next year’s event "A Bright White Night," Sept. 11 and 12, 2008, please visit www.ocqualityoflifefund.com or call Deena Copeland, 813-286-8520, ext. 251. For more information about Rosen Shingle Creek, please visit www.rosenshinglecreek or call (866) 996-9939. For more information about Shingle Creek Golf Club, please visit www.shinglecreekgolf.com or call (866) 996-9933.
Contact:
Mary Deatrick, DPR,
(407) 332-5212, mary@deatrickpr.com