FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Sunny skies and a day off during organized team activities can mean just one thing.
Golfing for a cause.
Various Falcons players and coaches will test their skills on the course Monday at the fifth annual Verizon Wireless Network of Champions Golf Tournament at The River Club in Suwanee. The team has a long-standing relationship with Verizon Wireless and the organizations work together to fight domestic violence throughout Georgia.
Funds raised through a silent auction and mulligan sales at the tournament go to Partnership Against Domestic Violence (PADV), the largest and one of the oldest nonprofit domestic violence organizations in Georgia.
That's on top of a $15,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation.
"We have a good turnout of players that will be participating," Head Coach Mike Smith said. "We're real excited about working with our partner there at Verizon (Wireless) and having a good afternoon of golf."
Smith and his team are no strangers to the course.
Earlier this year the second-year head coach hosted a "media only" outing and many player-sponsored charity events involve time on the links. Throw in more than a dozen silent auction items, including autographed jerseys and helmets, and a Falcons-themed charity event takes shape.
Other celebrities expected at the tournament include Wes Durham, "The Voice of the Falcons," radio analyst and former quarterback Dave Archer and Falcons Cheerleaders. "Good Day Atlanta," 92.9 DaveFM and AM 790 the Zone are scheduled to broadcast live from the event. Fred Kalil of 11Alive WXIA will broadcast from the course Monday evening.
Verizon Wireless and the Falcons will also host four HopeLine phone drives at the Georgia Dome during the 2009 season.
According to Verizon Wireless, fans can bring old cell phones to the game. The company either recycles or refurbishes the phones to help put an end to domestic violence in the region. If phones are recycled, cash grants are donated to non-profit agencies that are working to end domestic violence. Refurbished phones along with wireless service are donated to shelters for use by domestic violence survivors.
To date, more than 1 million no-longer-used wireless phones have been disposed of properly; more than 170,000 pounds of batteries have been recycled and more than 200 tons of electronics waste and batteries have been kept out of landfills. For more information, log on to www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.
Look for more coverage of the tournament including Twitter updates and photos on Monday.
