Verizon Wireless Named Official Wireless Communications Provider For Golf Foundation Of Wisconsin

Verizon Wireless Named Official Wireless Communications Provider For Golf Foundation Of Wisconsin

June 6, 2000-MILWAUKEE -
Verizon Wireless (formerly PrimeCo Personal Communications), the country's largest wireless telecommunications provider, has been selected as the official wireless communications provider for the Golf Foundation of Wisconsin (GFW).

"Verizon Wireless is proud to be associated with the GFW, an organization that greatly benefits individuals who may otherwise never have the chance to learn the game of golf," said Eric Schaefer, Verizon Wireless's Area Director - Wisconsin.

As the official wireless communications provider of the GFW, Verizon Wireless will provide a bank of wireless phones to be used inside all clubhouse areas of GFW/First Tee mentor program sites in Green Bay, Appleton, Madison and Milwaukee. Children participating in the GFW/First Tee mentor program can use the Verizon Wireless phones to contact their parents, and parents, in turn, are welcome to make calls while waiting for their children.

Verizon Wireless will have a presence at all GFW special events during the 2000 golf season, including the Greater Milwaukee Open Youth Clinic, July 11, at Brown Deer Park Golf Course; the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Junior Golf Tournament, July 17 through July 19, at Currie Park in Wauwatosa; the Toyota Skills Challenge, August 4 through August 6, at Dretzka Park; and the Pepsi Par 3 Tour, nine events held every Monday at the Milwaukee County Par 3 courses.

"Thousands of the state's special needs and youth golfers are impacted by the Golf Foundation of Wisconsin programs," Schaefer said. "Program participants learn more than just the game of golf. They learn its history, traditions and rules, not to mention positive life lessons in ethics, patience, honesty, fair play and integrity. Verizon Wireless looks at this sponsorship as a great way to enrich the lives of thousands of youth and the communities in which they live."

Since its inception in 1978, the Golf Foundation of Wisconsin, Inc., a 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 programs to introduce youth, senior citizens and special needs groups to a healthy lifetime activity while making these opportunities affordable and accessible.

*********

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with more than 16 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. (NYSE:BEL) and Vodafone AirTouch Plc (LSE:VOD; NYSE:VOD). The new company includes the assets of Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, PrimeCo Personal Communications and AirTouch Paging. Verizon Wireless will be further strengthened by the addition of the wireless assets of GTE Corp. (NYSE:GTE) when it completes its merger with Bell Atlantic. When the merger is complete, the new company will have 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.

1725-4051
052600cs

###