Bridgestone Firestone Goes Golfing To Benefit Detroit Inner-City YouthTire maker is 2008 Paul W. Smith Golf Classic equipment sponsor
NOVI, Mich. (Aug. 14, 2008) – Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT), through its Consumer OE Tire division, is the equipment sponsor for the Fifth Anniversary Paul W. Smith Golf Classic to benefit Think Detroit PAL – a private non-profit group that builds character in inner-city youth through athletic, academic and leadership development programs.
The shotgun scramble-style tournament, scheduled for Monday, Aug. 18 at the Detroit Golf Club, helps fund leadership camps, community centers, clinics and a variety of seasonal sports leagues organized by Think Detroit PAL.
Bridgestone Firestone, as the Official Equipment Sponsor of the Golf Classic for the second consecutive year, will provide Bridgestone-brand golf balls, caps, towels and umbrellas to participants.
In 2007, the sold-out tournament netted more than $325,000 for Think Detroit PAL and brought the Golf Classic’s four-year total to more than
$1.2 million. The charity, in a unique partnership with police officers, serves nearly 13,000 youth, ages four to 19, and relies on the aid of more than 1,400 volunteers.
“We’ve teamed with the charity because we share their vision of Detroit as a great place to be a kid and to raise a family,” said Michael Martini, President, Consumer OE Tire Division, BFNT. “Think Detroit PAL seeks to connect one in 10 young people with a positive role model. That’s a goal we’d like to help them meet and exceed.”
Think Detroit PAL is the premier and largest developmentally-focused youth sports organization in Detroit. In 2006, the group was a semi-finalist in the DTE Foundation’s Achieving Excellence Awards Program – Sustainability Category. Last year, it was recognized by Charter One as a “Champion in Action” for being a model youth development program in southeast Michigan. And in 2004, the charity was voted “Best Non-Profit” by Crain’s Detroit Business. Formed by the merger of the Detroit Police Athletic League and Think Detroit, it relies on contributions from individual donors, foundations and corporations to support its recreational, educational and mentoring programs.
For more information about the Paul W. Smith Golf Classic visit www.paulwsmithgolf.com. To learn what you can do to help Think Detroit PAL’s mission, call (313) 833-1600 or visit www.thinkdetroitpal.org.
The Consumer OE Tire division of BFNT, with headquarters in Novi, Mich., embraces many other Detroit community outreach initiatives including the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology’s (DIO) annual EyesOn Design Automotive Design Show to benefit the visually impaired and blind; the revitalization of historic Belle Isle island park; sponsorship of the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix during Labor Day weekend; and Habitat for Humanity® of Oakland County, which BFNT has assisted to construct seven new residential homes in the Pontiac, Mich. area since 2002.
About Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BFNT develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires. The company is focused on wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires to its customers in North America. In addition, through its Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions unit, retreading customers have access to industry-leading research and development, manufacturing, marketing and sales expertise, providing them with a total tire solution.