For Immediate Release Media Contacts:
August 1, 2006 Mike Vest (205) 250-9006, bhamap@aol.com
BIRMINGHAM ATHLETIC PARTNERSHIP IS ANNOUNCING AN ALLIANCE TO GIVE BIRMINGHAM CITY HIGH SCHOOLS $1 MILLION OVER FOUR YEARS
A press conference will be held at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame on
August 1, 2006, at 10:00 a.m.
Birmingham, Ala. - The Birmingham Athletic Partnership (BAP) today announced a $1 million Business Partners Program to support the City of Birmingham Public High Schools over the next four years.
Ten Birmingham corporations have pledged $250,000 a year equaling a total of $1 million over the next four years to benefit the athletic departments (boys and girls), band and cheerleading programs for the schools.
At a press conference at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Dr. Stan Mims, the new Birmingham Superintendent, was presented a ceremonious check from BAP Founder and President Edgar Welden symbolizing the commitment and recognizing the involvement of the corporations and the schools.
Both Mims and Welden praised the 10 corporations for their dedication and commitment to the young people of Birmingham. "This is a major investment in the future of these young people as well as the future of the City of Birmingham. Along with the financial commitment, the CEOs of these companies have designated a young executive who will be hands-on working to help the programs at the schools as well as build community support for the students and the schools," says Welden.
"We thank these CEOs for their vision and their interest. I would like to extend a special thank you to John McMahon, Chairman of Ligon, and Johnny Johns, Chairman of Protective, who have spearheaded this program and made it a reality. We all see this as an opportunity to bring government, business and volunteerism together for the common goal that benefits the young people of Birmingham," Welden continued.
In 2002, the BAP was founded as a nonprofit organization to assist the needs of athletic programs in the Birmingham City public high schools. Over the past four years, the organization has given over $400,000 in support of the schools' athletic department, band and cheerleading programs. Through the newly formed corporate alliance, BAP hopes to continue to improve the quality of athletic experiences of young high school athletes, as it is proven that athletics and extracurricular activities dramatically and positively shape a young person's academic performance.
Birmingham Athletic Partnership is a nonprofit-501(c)(3) corporation that is dedicated to assisting the Birmingham City high schools' athletic departments and related organizations. BAP is committed to being a resource that will enhance the athletic departments' abilities to provide the necessary leadership, education, facilities and equipment to assure that students have the opportunities to excel in sports and related extracurricular activities. For more information, visit www.bapteam.org.
