NB3 Foundation
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| Media Contacts: | Brian Israel, Weber Shandwick |
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Dan Smith, Oneida Indian Nation |
| Bisrael@webershandwick.com | DanSmith@oneida-nation.org |
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| (952) 346-6197 |
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(315) 829-8305 |
WEST TEAM WINS FIFTH ANNUAL NOTAH BEGAY III FOUNDATION CHALLENGE
New format produced memorable moments for golf fans at annual event to raise awareness and funds to improve health and wellness of Native American youth
Verona, N.Y. (August 29, 2012) – The West team representing the United States outshot a world-class field of PGA and LPGA stars to capture the fifth annual Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation Challenge title. Notah Begay III and Tiger Woods led the West squad to victory in the mixed team, best ball tournament at the Atunyote Golf Club at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in central New York. The real winners of the event are Native youth around the nation, who will benefit from the $500,000 raised by the NB3 Foundation to help advance its mission of improving health and wellness in the Native American community.
“Today’s Challenge afforded us an invaluable opportunity to bring to light one of the most pressing health disparities facing Indian Country today – childhood obesity and diabetes,” said the event’s host and four-time PGA TOUR winner, Notah Begay III. “To the elite athletes, the Oneida Indian Nation and the dedicated fans who lined the course – thank you for your continued support of the health and well-being of the next generation of Native American leaders.”
The new East meets West format, highlighted by a field featuring some of golf’s premier players from the PGA TOUR and LPGA and a crowd of eager fans, set the stage for a great afternoon of golf. The West team of Begay, Woods, Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland, Cristie Kerr and Lexi Thompson emerged as the tournament champions, outpacing K.J. Choi, Se Ri Pak, Yani Tseng, Y.E. Yang, Danny Lee and Charlie Wi of the East team by the score of 8 to 6. Kerr sunk a birdie on the 18 to give the West team the lead and Begay birdied the final hole to clinch the victory.
“The gratification comes not from taking home the trophy for the West, but from playing a role in the betterment of the Native children,” said Kerr, who was part of the winning team at the NB3 Foundation Challenge for the third consecutive year. “The real reason we’re out on the course today is to shine a spotlight on a community in which the Notah Begay III Foundation is working so diligently create positive change.”
“It’s an honor to walk the course with a field of golfers who use their international draw to make a difference in the lives of Native American youth,” said Fowler. “Notah’s unmatched commitment to a cause that is so near to his heart is inspiring.”
Ultimately, the real action from the 2012 NB3 Foundation Challenge happens outside the ropes, where all proceeds from the event go to the Notah Begay III Foundation. The money raised through the event supports the commitment to develop sustainable, evidence-based, innovative programs that can achieve significant results in helping to reverse the epidemics of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes. Driven by Native staff, these programs empower youth to realize their potential as tomorrow’s leaders. Since 2005, the Foundation has engaged and served more than 10,000 Native youth through evidence-based, sports-centered initiatives.
The NB3 Foundation Challenge continues to proudly demonstrate what Native groups can accomplish through shared efforts and resources aimed at addressing important issues in their communities. Indian Nations, like Oneida, have made extraordinary strides in recent years to build promising futures for their youth and communities, and this event exemplifies that progress.
“The Oneida Nation thanks Notah Begay for bringing some of the world’s best golfers to Central New York,” said Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter. “We are pleased to be able to participate in a premier event that benefits the important work the NB3 Foundation does for children in Indian Country.”
For more information on the NB3 Foundation Challenge and the NB3 Foundation, please visit: www.nb3foundation.org
Key Background
About Notah Begay III Foundation
In 2005, Notah Begay III established the Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Notah established the Foundation to address the profound health and wellness issues impacting Native American youth and to empower those youth and help them realize their potential as tomorrow’s leaders. The mission of the Foundation is to reduce the incidences of obesity and diabetes and advance the lives of Native American youth through sports and wellness programming. To this end, the mission the Foundation supports is the development of sustainable, evidence-based and innovative soccer and golf programs designed by Native Americans for Native American youth that promote physical fitness, wellness and leadership development.
For more information on Notah Begay III and the Foundation, visit: www.nb3foundation.org.
About Turning Stone Resort Casino
A premier four-season, destination resort, the Oneida Indian Nation's Turning Stone Resort Casino is conveniently located about 30 miles east of Syracuse at NYS Thruway exit 33. Turning Stone was named “Most Excellent Golf Resort” in 2010 by Condé Nast Johansens. The Academy of Country Music named Turning Stone “Casino of the Year” in 2009. The resort offers world class gaming, golf, entertainment, accommodations and spa facilities and has earned AAA Four Diamond ratings for The Lodge, The Tower Hotel and Wildflowers restaurant. Turning Stone's entertainment and meeting venues include the 5,000-seat Event Center, the 800-seat Showroom, LAVA-Dance Club and the Conference Center.
For more information and reservations, call (315) 361-7711 or 1-(800) 771-7711. Visit the websites at TurningStone.com and OneidaIndianNation.com
About the Oneida Indian Nation
The Oneida Indian Nation is a federally recognized Indian nation in Central New York. A founding member of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (also known as the Six Nations or Iroquois Confederacy), the Oneida Indian Nation sided with the Americans in the Revolutionary War and was thanked by Congress and President George Washington for its loyalty and assistance. Today, the Oneida Nation consists of about 1,000 enrolled Members, most of them living in Central New York. The Nation’s enterprises, which employ 4,500 people, include Turning Stone Resort Casino, the S?vOn chain of gas stations and convenience stores, RV Park, three marinas, Indian Country Today Media Network – the premier national multi-media source for American Indian news and information, and Four Directions Productions - a 3D animation HD cinematography studio. Proceeds from these enterprises are used to rebuild the Nation’s economic base and provide essential services, including housing, health care, and education incentives and programs, to its Members.
For more information, visit the Nation’s website www.OneidaIndianNation.com and the official blog www.WovenNotesblog.com.
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