NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference, FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl and AutoNation are pleased to announce a donation of $10,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) in honor of Wendy Anderson, wife of Arkansas State football head coach Blake Anderson, as a part of the collaborative effort for the Coaches for a Cure initiative during the 2019 football season.
A portion of the donation was made possible by AutoNation, America’s largest automotive retailer, offering to match 100 percent of the dollars generated by Sun Belt institutions as part of its DRV PNK Initiative.
“We thank AutoNation for its generosity and willingness to join forces with the Sun Belt and Cure Bowl to make a difference in the fight against cancer,” said Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill.
“AutoNation is proud to support this very important effort,” said AutoNation Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Marc Cannon. “Our DRV PNK Initiative has raised more than $22 million for cancer research and treatment!”
The donation will be recognized this evening during the AutoNation Welcome Reception at Universal CityWalk as a part of a week-long celebration of the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl presented by the Orlando Sports Foundation. Saturday’s matchup between Georgia Southern and Liberty at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Fla. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
“The Cure Bowl’s mission is about bringing teams together to find a cure for cancer and we are proud to partner with the Sun Belt Conference and AutoNation for this initiative,” said Cure Bowl Executive Director Alan Gooch. “This donation to BCRF is a generous way to recognize the impact that Wendy made in the local Arkansas State community and our Cure Bowl family.”
The donation collaboration was a part of this year’s Coaches for a Cure initiative that included all 10 Sun Belt football-playing institutions showing support during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. At games throughout the month of October, coaches and support staffs wore pink shoelaces, armbands, wristbands and towels and displayed specially designed pink Sun Belt Kicks Cancer kicking nets provided by the Cure Bowl.
About the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl
The FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl presented by the Orlando Sports Foundation is more than a game. It is a platform to raise awareness for cancer research and recognize those that are fighting cancer or have survived cancer. Funds raised from the Cure Bowl directly benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). Since 2015, the bowl has raised a collective $3.7 million dollars to benefit breast cancer research.
To learn more, visit CureBowl.com.
About the Orlando Sports Foundation
The Orlando Sports Foundation (OSF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for breast cancer research. The OSF holds several events throughout the year, including the Cure Bowl, which is an NCAA college football bowl game played each December.
With the combined support of Central Floridians, loyal sports fans and strategic partners, the OSF is further dedicated and committed to serving the challenges of cancer awareness and elimination, invigorating the Central Florida athletic community and supporting youth organizations with standards of benevolence, integrity and moral excellence.
To learn more, visit OrlandoSportsFoundation.com.
About the Breast Cancer Research Foundation
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) is dedicated to being the end of breast cancer by advancing the world’s most promising research. Founded by Evelyn H. Lauder in 1993, BCRF-funded investigators have been deeply involved in every major breakthrough in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and metastasis. This year, BCRF has awarded $66 million in grants to support the work of nearly 275 scientists at leading medical and academic institutions across 14 countries, making BCRF the largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide. BCRF is also the highest-rated breast cancer organization in the U.S.
To learn more, visit BCRF.org.
About AutoNation, Inc.
AutoNation, America’s largest automotive retailer, is transforming the automotive industry through its bold leadership, innovation and comprehensive brand extensions. As of September 30, 2019, AutoNation owned and operated over 325 locations from coast to coast. AutoNation has sold over 12 million vehicles, the first automotive retailer to reach this milestone. AutoNation’s success is driven by a commitment to delivering a peerless experience through customer-focused sales and service processes. Launched in 2015, AutoNation’s Drive Pink initiative, which has raised over $20 million, is committed to drive out cancer, create awareness, and support critical research. AutoNation continues to be a proud supporter of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and other cancer-related charities.
Please visit AutoNation.com, Investors.Autonation.com, Twitter.com/CEOCherylMiller and Twitter.com/AutoNation, where AutoNation discloses additional information about the company, its business, and its results of operations. Please also visit AutoNationDrive.com, AutoNation’s automotive blog, for information regarding the AutoNation community, the automotive industry, and current automotive news and trends.
About the Sun Belt Conference
With each passing season, the Sun Belt Conference continues to challenge itself, and its competitors, in all aspects of intercollegiate athletics. Not content with being simply the youngest football conference in the Football Bowl Subdivision, the conference has shown that it can rise each and every season that comes along. And since the birth of the league as a FBS member in 2001, the Sun Belt has earned due respect in the FBS over the last several years by consistently beating teams from peer conferences, winning bowl games and upsetting Power Five teams.
Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Louisiana, ULM, South Alabama, Texas State and Troy give the league 10 football members. Little Rock and UTA compete as Sun Belt members in sports other than football.
To learn more, visit SunBeltSports.org.
