NFL stars' tourney will benefit Chornobyl relief (06/02/96)

NFL stars' tourney will benefit Chornobyl relief

SHORT HILLS, N.J. - Top stars of the National Football League will tee off at the UPS/NFL 1996 Charity Classic Golf Tournament to raise funds for the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund and the United Way of Lackawanna County, Pa. The Elmhurst Country Club in Scranton, Pa., will host the charity golf tournament on June 17, and sponsors of the event are the United Postal Service and the National Football League.

The line-up includes NFL stars such as Neil O'Donnell, New York Jets; Bruce Smith, Buffalo Bills; Derrick Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs; Corneilius Bennett, Atlanta Falcons; Greg Skrepenek, Carolina Panthers; Tony Siragusa, Indianapolis Colts and former Penn State standout; Kyle Brady, New York Jets; and numerous other players to be announced in coming weeks.

The day of activities will include the golf tournament, as well as dinner at the Genetti Manor in Dickson City, Pa., and a silent auction of more than 25 autographed items from a number of NFL players.

A telephone hotline has been established by United Parcel Service and the National Football League Properties Inc. to handle the response to the UPS/NFL Charity Classic. Through a bidding process, golfers will have the opportunity to "draft" an NFL player of their choice to play in their foursome.

Official registration packets may be obtained by contacting The Charity Classic Hotline: (717) 343-1267, ext. 260. Reservations will be accepted only upon receipt of the official registration form, and the deadline is June 10.

This year, two charities will receive proceeds from the fund-raiser: the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund (CCRF), based in Short Hills, N.J., and the United Way of Lakawanna County, Pa.

The United Way of Lackawanna County provides over 100 programs and services to the people of Lackawanna County administered by 27 local human service organizations.

The CCRF identifies specific hospitals and programs that aid children affected by the Chornobyl nuclear plant explosion in Ukraine and works with them to procure, deliver and dispense high-quality pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.

In a recent commemorative ceremony at the White House hosted by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore, Volodymyr Malofienko, a young leukemia patient from Ukraine whose treatment was arranged by the CCRF, stated, "Mrs. Clinton has written a book that says it takes a village to raise a child. However, it also takes a village to heal a child. We should not forget the many children who will not be healthy without the help of our global village."

Paul Speaker of NFL Properties commented, "The NFL and the United Way have a long partnership of helping people across the nation, and the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund is providing such vital care in Ukraine that the NFL is honored to play a role in providing support to two outstanding organizations."

According to Gary Drapek, spokesperson for the United Way, "The initial response to the announcement of the charity classic has been overwhelming, and the 144 slots for the golf tournament are filling up quickly. We encourage those who are interested in participating to call the hotline as soon as possible in order to receive the registration packet."

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