CHECKERS CHARITIES 

CHECKERS RAISE $335K FOR COMMUNITY IN 2010-11
Team has contributed $2M to area charities since 2006

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The Charlotte Checkers completed their inaugural season in the American Hockey League in giving fashion, raising more than $335,000 for local charities and non-profit organizations. The team has now raised $2 million since Michael Kahn took ownership of the ECHL Checkers in 2006.

Highlighting the donation campaigns were the fifth annual AutoTrader.com Race Night ($20,500) benefiting Zach Bennett, the fifth annual  Pink in the Rink ($26,189) benefiting Carolina Breast Friends and the sixth annual Salute to Heroes, presented by AutoTrader.com, ($28,000) benefiting the families of the CMPD, CFD, Mecklenburg EMS and Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. Since their inceptions, Pink in the Rink and Salute to Heroes have raised a combined $246,000.

The Checkers, with the help of Timberstone Homes, were also able to raise enough money and resources to purchase and retro-fit a house for Zach Bennett and his family, who have relocated from Albany, N.Y. to Charlotte to be closer to the team and seek better medical care for his disease, neurofibromatosis (NF1).

Additional charitable events included the annual Charity Golf Classic ($11,860) benefiting Discovery Place, Teach for America and Presbyterian Hemby Children’s Hospital, the Pooch Party ($2,856), benefiting the Humane Society of Charlotte, Skating for Sudan ($10,000+) benefiting Charlotte resident James Lubo Majik’s school-building project and the Goodwill clothing drive ($8,680), among many other events and fundraisers.

More than 1,500 tickets were donated for fundraisers and community initiatives as well as team memorabilia and experiences such as Zamboni rides and locker room tours.

In addition to funds raised, the Checkers also made 150 appearances in the community with players, Chubby, the CheckMates and staff members, including teddy bear deliveries to Presbyterian Hemby Children’s Hospital, school visits and youth hockey practices.

The Checkers also invited area schools to participate in the Pick Up A Book and Read program, in which more than one million pages were read by 745 students in 24 schools in the Charlotte area.

For a detailed account of all the Checkers’ community initiatives this season, visit www.GoCheckers.com.

Join us on Friday, June 24th from 6-10 p.m. for the second annual Draught for the Draft party at Buffalo Wild Wings at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. For details on this free event, visit www.GoCheckers.com or call 704-342-4423. Mini-plans for the 2011-12 season are on sale now and start as low as $100. Call 704-342-4423 for more information.

This Community update is brought to you by Goodrich Corporation, who is a proud sponsor of all Checkers community initiatives. Goodrich Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global supplier of systems and services to the aerospace, defense and homeland security markets. With 2007 revenues of $6.4 billion, Goodrich is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., and employs more than 24,000 people worldwide in approximately 90 facilities across 16 countries.