WTOC, Savannah, Georgia, news, weather and sports | Hilton Head Island pulling together to keep tournament
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HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC (WTOC) - The Hilton Head Island community is pulling together, trying to keep the Verizon Heritage Golf Tournament on the island after Verizon announced that it's pulling out as the title sponsor after 2010.
The Verizon Heritage Golf Tournament on Hilton Head Island is rich in tradition.
"The one thing that makes us different than any other tournament on the PGA tour is the community," said tournament director, Steve Wilmot. " We are the biggest show in town."
With no title sponsor after next year tournament organizers are now relying on the community to help keep the tournament on the island.
"It has been for 41 years and it's going to be for a long time in the future," said volunteer, Tom Durston. " We're going to help make that happen.
Community and business leaders came together today at Sea Pines, pledging their support to solicit sponsorships from local businesses as part of the foundation's new Sponsor Partnership Club.
" Putting the program together and seeing so many people come out and volunteer their time and go out into the community, a community to community sales effort, it's fantastic and its something that has probably been needed for a long time," said tournament sales director,Bill Wagner.
" It goes to show you the importance of this event to this community," said Wilmot.
Organizers say by securing sponsorships, volunteers could make a big difference in the tournament's future.
" It's very, very important," said Wagner. " It will show the next title sponsor coming in that the community is really backing the tournament and with all of the support we can get from the community, it will definitely show the new title sponsor waiting in the wings that this tournament needs to stay on Hilton Head Island."
Organizers say any level of support from local businesses will help the cause from buying clubhouse badge to a sky box suite it all helps.
Not only does this tournament pump more than 85 million dollars into the local economy but it helps support what Steve Wilmot says is the bottom line, that's the countless local charities.
Next month, the Heritage Classic Foundation will donate $1.3 million to local charities at their luncheon.
If you'd like to volunteer to help the cause call Bill Wagner at 843.671.6738.
For more information on the tournament and to purchase badges, please www.verizonheritage.com.
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