Governor and Verizon Wireless Team-Up for New Charity Golf Tourney

Governor and Verizon Wireless Team-Up for New Charity Golf Tourney

August 30, 2000

MILWAUKEE - Though his name may not be a household word on the PGA Tour, Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson will be making a special round on the Wisconsin golf circuit next month, hosting his own golf tournament for two of his favorite sports-related charities - the Golf Foundation of Wisconsin (GFW) and the Badger State Games Foundation.

Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless telecommunications provider, has agreed to team up with the Governor, serving as the presenting sponsor for the first annual Tommy G. Thompson Charity Invitational golf tournament, scheduled for Friday, September 15 at the Grand Geneva Resort and Spa in Lake Geneva, Wis.

More than 120 community and business leaders from throughout the state are expected to participate in the event, which includes the 18-hole tournament, luncheon, reception, awards program and silent auction.

"We look forward to starting a new golfing tradition in Wisconsin. While we don't expect the scores to approximate those of the recent Greater Milwaukee Open Tournament, we look to create some excitement and have some fun, while supporting two worthwhile programs. We are delighted with the major league support of organizations like Verizon Wireless to get the tournament off to a successful start," Governor Thompson said.

Verizon Wireless, formerly PrimeCo Personal Communications, began a partnership with the Golf Foundation of Wisconsin in 1999, becoming the organization's official wireless communications provider and helping GFW with a number of special events throughout the 1999 and 2000 golf seasons.

"Our sponsorship of the First Tommy G. Thompson Charity Invitational is a natural extension of our commitment to the Golf Foundation. We look forward to a successful inaugural event and a lengthy association," said Eric Schaefer, General Manager-Wisconsin for Verizon Wireless.

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Verizon Communications

About Golf Foundation of Wisconsin

Since its inception in 1978, the Golf Foundation of Wisconsin, Inc. (GFW), a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, has been dedicated to the mission of preserving and promoting the game of golf in Wisconsin. To satisfy this mission, the GFW has established numerous programs to present golf and its values to individuals who may otherwise never have the chance to learn the game. GFW programs are designed not only to teach the physical skills of the game, but also to instill honesty, self-discipline, camaraderie and an appreciation for tradition. These values benefit individuals and the communities in which they live. For more information please visit our website at www.gfw.org.

About Badger State Games Foundation

Established in 1999, the Badger State Games Foundation supports the efforts of the Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation, governing body of the Badger State Games. The corporation provides and promotes, for the citizens of Wisconsin, healthy sport environments and activities in which participants of all ages can benefit socially, mentally and physically. The goal of the foundation is to help grow and develop the corporation by ensuring its long-term financial viability.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with more than 25.6 million wireless voice and data customers and nearly 4 million paging customers. The new coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE Corp --now Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) - and Vodafone (LSE:VOD; NYSE:VOD). The new company includes the assets of Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, GTE Wireless, PrimeCo Personal Communications and AirTouch Paging. The new company has a footprint covering nearly 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 96 of the top 100 U.S. markets. Verizon Wireless, headquartered in New York City and Bedminster, NJ, is 30,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company in its Media Center on the Web at: http://www.verizonwireless.com/mediacenter.