GREENSBORO SPORTS COUNCIL DISTRIBUTES FUNDS TO HAECO INVITATIONAL SCHOOLS
For immediate release. April 30, 2015
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Greensboro Sports Council has donated $112,000 to the eight schools that participated in the 39th annual HAECO Invitational presented by NewBridge Bank last December, the Council announced today. In addition, the Sports Council donated $17,000 in scholarships and charitable contributions from tournament proceeds. The 40th anniversary HAECO Invitational is set for Dec. 26, 28 and 29, 2015 at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center.
A very solid fundraising effort and strong community support combined to allow the Sports Council to donate $14,000 to each school that participated in 2014, the same amount the schools received following the previous tournament. Although they will not participate in the 2015 tournament, Northeast Guilford High School received its donation as a 2014 participating school. Prior to the school donations, the Council awarded five $2,000 Bill Lee Scholarships, made a $5,000 donation to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, made a $1,000 donation to the Corrigan Faircloth Chapter of the National Football Foundation to sponsor a scholarship and made a $1,000 donation to the Bryan Family YMCA.
With this year’s donations, the Greensboro Sports Council has now distributed more than $1.6 million to the tournament’s participating schools in the last 16 years. In the last several years, the Council donated $80,000 to the schools following the 2009 tournament, $86,000 following the 2010 tournament, $100,000 following the 2011 event, $108,000 after the 2012 tournament, $112,000 in 2013 and $112,000 following the 2014 tournament.
“The mission of the HAECO Invitational has always been to raise money for schools in Guilford County,” Greensboro Sports Council president Kevin McCoy said. “That mission has remained since the tournament was founded in 1976, and we realize how important these funds are to the participating schools. Presenting checks to the schools is gratifying, but it is an indication of our community’s commitment to the HAECO Invitational. Without our sponsors and spectators, we would not be able to make these contributions back to the schools. We appreciate our title sponsor, HAECO Americas, our presenting sponsor, NewBridge Bank, and the many additional companies and individuals whose generosity makes these donations possible.”
Earlier this year, the Greensboro Sports Council announced the field for this year’s 40th anniversary HAECO Invitational and that the field would include Dudley High School, one of the tournament’s original four schools. In addition to the Panthers, the other seven schools in the 40th anniversary tournament will be defending men’s champion, Greensboro Day School, Grimsley High School, Northern Guilford High School, the defending women’s champion Northwest Guilford Vikings, Page High School, Ragsdale High School and Smith High School; men’s and women’s teams from all schools will participate. Each of this year’s schools has submitted a signed agreement to participate in this year’s tournament.
The HAECO Invitational presented by NewBridge Bank is an annual high school basketball tournament in Greensboro, N.C. Founded in 1976 as the Little 4 Invitational, the tournament features men’s and women’s teams representing eight Guilford County high schools playing at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. Tournament proceeds are donated to local charities and the participating schools; the HAECO Invitational is planned and implemented by the Greensboro Sports Council. For more information, please visit www.HAECOInvitational.com and follow the event on Twitter: @HAECOinvit.