AUGUSTA, Ga. (March 24, 2011) – A Masters week tradition – Club Car vehicles in front of businesses along Washington Road – is getting a new look this year as part of a program that spotlights a local artist and benefits the American Cancer Society.
Businesses displaying Club Car vehicles have been part of Masters week in Augusta since the mid ’80s. The tradition is getting a fresh look this year with custom-designed golf and utility vehicles helping to support one of the company’s longtime charitable beneficiaries.
In return for a vehicle for the week of the tournament, Club Car is asking businesses to make a donation to the American Cancer Society’s Augusta office. In turn, Club Car plans to match each donation.
“We’re hoping that through the generosity of local businesses and our matching donation that we can make a significant contribution to the American Cancer Society,” Club Car President and CEO Gary Michel said.
As an incentive, each of the 75 to 100 vehicles is getting a custom paint job prior to delivery. Club Car has commissioned local artist Raul Viera to create unique designs that relate to the specific business or to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life program. The vehicle that has been designed for the Hooters restaurant on Washington Road, for example, has been painted orange with owl eyes; a leaf-patterned car has been designed for Green Thumb Nursery.
Viera, who works out of a shop in Graniteville, S.C., said his designs start with an idea from Club Car and his imagination does the rest. “They give me a basic idea, and I take it from there,” said the 37-year-old Augusta resident. Viera said the cars with the American Cancer Society’s familiar pink ribbon logo are some of his favorite airbrush designs.
Angel Carter, senior community manager for the American Cancer Society in Augusta, said in a tight economy it takes creative fundraising ideas to encourage donations.
“Conventional fundraising has gotten very hard. We’re just not seeing a good response from programs that aren’t creative in some way,” Carter said. “This is a great example of a unique program that should get a great response.”
After the Masters tournament, the vehicles will be sold to various Club Car distributors, according to Mike Cotter, Club Car’s director of consumer sales.
“Our distributors are pretty excited about the program,” Cotter said. “A number of them have already bought vehicles sight unseen.”
About Club Car
Club Car has been one of the most respected names in the golf industry for more than half a century. The company’s dependable and efficient Precedent golf cars and Carryall Turf utility vehicles are integral to the successful operations of thousands of courses in the U.S. and around the world. The world’s largest manufacturer of electric vehicles is also recognized as an innovation leader. The Visage Mobile Golf Information System is the latest in a long line of technical advances that improve the golfer’s experience as well as help courses operate more efficiently. The Augusta, Ga.-based company, a division of Ingersoll Rand, is equally respected for the support it provides the game’s leading associations and organizations, including the PGA of America, the NGCOA, EGCOA, GCSAA, CMAA, The First Tee and the Executive Women’s Golf Association. For more information, go to clubcar.com and ingersollrand.com.
Contact:
Tim Walls, Club Car
(800) 227-0739, ext. 7190, tim_walls@clubcar.com
Bill Bryant, Bryant Marketing Communications
(678) 366-3232, bbryant@bryantmarcomm.com
