Karrie Webb and Christopher Reeve to Host 2nd Annual Karrie Webb Celebrity Pro-Am to Benefit the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation

Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation
Tuesday, 10 July 2001

Karrie Webb, the LPGA's 2000 Player of the Year and winner of two major championships thus far in 2001, will be joined by eight LPGA stars for the 2nd Annual Karrie Webb Celebrity Pro-Am to benefit the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation. The event will be held at the Manhattan Woods Golf Club in West Nyack, New York.

The invitation-only event starts on Sunday, July 22 at 7:00 p.m. with a cocktail reception, dinner and live auction. On Monday, July 23rd, registration opens at 8:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast, followed by an exhibition by the LPGA professionals and the Dennis Walters Golf Show. The tournament begins with a shotgun start at approximately 10:00 a.m. and will be followed by an awards luncheon.

Competing with Karrie are fellow LPGA professionals Brandie Burton, Beth Daniel, Meg Mallon, Michelle McGann, Liselotte Neumann, Kelly Robbins, Jan Stephenson and Rachel Teske. They will be joined by sports, media and entertainment luminaries including Ray Romano, Aidan Quinn, Rob Morrow, Chevy Chase, Kenneth Cole, Joe Pesci, Billy Baldwin, Marj Dusay and Harry Carson.

In 1999, Christopher Reeve, Chairman of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, and Karrie Webb met and discussed how they could work together to raise awareness and money for spinal cord research, a cause to which they both have very personal ties. Karrie's longtime coach and mentor, Kelvin Haller, was rendered quadriplegic after a tragic accident in Australia, and though he no longer is able to travel with Karrie, he remains a powerful influence in her life and career. Nevertheless, Kelvin still analyzes Karrie's swing online and emails her from his home in Australia.

The result of that meeting was the First Annual Karrie Webb Celebrity Pro-Am, held July 10, 2000. Due to the tremendous success of that first year, it was decided to make the Pro-Am an annual fundraising event on the CRPF calendar.

"The first time I met Chris and Dana, I knew that we could create a special event which would benefit a wonderful organization," said Karrie. "It is very rewarding to be part of an event that will not only help Kel, my coach, but will help many other people whose lives have been affected by similar circumstances."

Springfield, NJ -- A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available for corporations or organizations of any size. Packages are currently available at the "Birdie" and "Eagle" levels and can be purchased through the CRPF office. All packages include a foursome in the Pro-Am during which each foursome will be paired for nine holes with an LPGA professional and for nine holes with a Celebrity Guest.

"Karrie Webb's athleticism and skill are as admirable as her altruism," said Christopher Reeve. He added, "Her generosity is creating a new tradition, uniting sports and entertainment to benefit the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation. Without Karrie's commitment and support, this tournament would have not have been possible. We are extremely grateful."

The golf tournament at Manhattan Woods Golf Club, a Gary Player-designed course, and one of New York's newest and most-prestigious golf courses, is one of a series of events leading up to "A Magical Evening," a gala hosted by Helen Hunt in New York City on November 13, 2001.

All proceeds from the Karrie Webb Celebrity Pro-Am go to the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, a national, nonprofit organization encouraging and supporting research to find effective treatments and a cure for paralysis. CRPF also allocates a portion of its resources to grants that improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. For more information, please call (800) 225-0292 or visit www.paralysis.org.

For more information, or to contact Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, see their website at: www.christopherreeve.org