Century Club Charities announces donations through Viking Classic

MADISON, Miss. (March 8, 2010) – Century Club Charities, Inc. is pleased to announce that the 2009 Viking Classic, Mississippi’s premiere sporting event, raised $567,641.25 for local charities including the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children and the Birdies For Charity program’s 89 participating Mississippi charities.

The United Way of Leflore County was the highest fundraising organization in the Birdies For Charity program. The organization was presented a check for $25,744.50 that included over $4,500.00 donated by Century Club Charities through Bonus Bucks at a luncheon hosted by the Viking Classic at Annandale Golf Club on March 3. The Kindness Foundation of Hattiesburg, Miss. was the second highest, raising $15,416.20. Eddie Barnes of Greenwood, Miss. won the Guess the Birdies contest and received a Viking Charcoal Ceramic Cooking Capsule and cart from the Viking Range Corporation, as well as a Viking Culinary Package of cookware, cutlery, and countertop appliances. Mr. Barnes also received a “Southern Hospitality, Viking Style” package that included a two night stay in an elegant suite at The Alluvian Hotel and Spa, spa treatment for two in the luxurious “Couple’s Suite”, dinner for two at Giardina’s Restaurant, and a custom-designed cooking class for two with an Executive Chef from the Viking Cooking School.

The benefiting charities are those who participated in the Birdies For Charity program, the fundraising arm of the Viking Classic. Implemented in 2001, the BFC program has enlisted more than 375 charities and is available for any 501(c)3 organization, church or school in Mississippi. The primary goal of the BFC program is to successfully solicit and collect pledges of at least two cents per birdie based on the number of birdies made at the Viking Classic or a donation of $25 or more. Each charity receives 100% of collected pledges and donations.

The 2010 Birdies For Charity program is ready to kick off. The dates for the 2010 Viking Classic are September 27-October 3 at Annandale Golf Club in Madison, MS. For more information about the Birdies For Charity program, please contact Renee Halsey at 866.898.GOLF.

For more information on the Birdies For Charity program or the Viking Classic, please visit www.vikingclassic.com.

For images from the 2009 Viking Classic, please contact Cary New, cnew@vikingrange.com or 662.451.1628.