Arnold Palmer's Namesake PGA TOUR Event and MasterCard Help Raise Money For Kids With Every New Facebook Fan
02/18/11
ORLANDO, FL - The Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard® is raising money for the Arnold Palmer Medical Center. For every new fan who 'likes' the tournament Facebook page from now through March 28, 2011, MasterCard will donate $1, up to $200,000, to help children being cared for at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.
"The tournament is really excited to launch into social media by helping our charities," said Scott Welllington, Tournament Director. "The hospitals have been a vital part of this community and event since 1989 and I encourage people to 'like' us on Facebook to continue supporting them."
Interestingly, some of the children who have received care from the Arnold Palmer Medical Center facilities are from families of PGA TOUR players who live in Central Florida. More than 20 TOUR professionals have had children born at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies or taken their kids to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children for treatment and care for injuries or illnesses.
"The success of the hospitals and the great work that is done there every day has always had great personal meaning to me, and is something we're all proud to be a part of," Palmer says. "It's been a big part of my life, and it pleases me that so many people have been helped over the years."
"This extension to Facebook will allow a broader audience of golf fans and cardholders to continue to personalize their tournament experience while helping to bring lifesaving medical care to thousands of children," said Chris McWilton, President, U.S. Markets, MasterCard Worldwide. "Over our seven year sponsorship of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard, we've seen first-hand the positive impact this organization has on the local community. We're glad to have this opportunity to help Arnold Palmer and the PGA TOUR generate greater awareness and support for the hospitals."
Says John Bozard, President of the Arnold Palmer Medical Center: "Because of our partnership with Mr. Palmer, the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard, the PGA TOUR and many other events and organizations, we are affectionately referred to as, 'The hospital that golf built.'
The Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, collectively known as Arnold Palmer Medical Center, received the PGA TOUR Charity of the Year Award in 2009. The Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children has been ranked 30th for heart and heart surgery and 28th for orthopedics in U.S. News & World Report's 2010 edition of America's Best Children's Hospitals.
To support these wonderful hospitals that so many families rely on, simply log on towww.facebook.com/arnoldpalmerinvitational and 'like' the official tournament page. For every new fan who 'likes' the Facebook page, $1 will be donated by MasterCard to the Arnold Palmer Medical Center.
About Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard
The Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard will hold its 33rd annual tournament March 21-27, 2011. The Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard is one of Central Florida's signature events, a premier sporting event and a highlight of the PGA TOUR, attracting some of the greatest talent in golf. The entire event is overseen and directed by one of the game's all-time greats – Arnold Palmer. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Arnold Palmer Medical Center, including Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies.
About MasterCard
As a leading global payments company, MasterCard Worldwide prides itself on being at the heart of commerce, helping to make life easier and more efficient for everyone, everywhere. MasterCard serves as a franchisor, processor and advisor to the payments industry, and makes commerce happen by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, governments, businesses, merchants, and cardholders worldwide. In 2010, $2.7 trillion in gross dollar volume was generated on its products by consumers around the world. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network - the fastest payment processing network in the world - MasterCard processes over 23 billion transactions each year and has the capacity to handle 140 million transactions per hour, with an average network response time of 140 milliseconds and with 99.99 percent reliability. MasterCard advances global commerce through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro®, and Cirrus®; its suite of core products such as credit, debit, and prepaid; and its innovative platforms and functionalities, such as MasterCard PayPass™ and MasterCard inControl™. MasterCard serves consumers, governments, and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information, please visit us at www.mastercard.com. Follow us on Twitter: @mastercardnews.