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Makena Beach & Golf Resort Welcomes Second Annual Shane Victorino Celebrity Golf Classic

Phillies NL All-Star Shane Victorino Returns To Benefit HI Children’s Cancer Foundation

Makena,  Maui,  November 16, 2009 … Makena Beach & Golf Resort will welcome the Second Annual Shane Victorino Celebrity Golf Classic on Saturday, November 21, 2009, beginning at 12 noon.  Philadelphia Phillies NL All-Star Shane Victorino will team with the Hawaii Children's Cancer Foundation to host the event.  Victorino, a Hawaii native, launched the Golf Classic last year raising $100,000 for the Alzheimer's Association Aloha Chapter.  The goal for 2009 is $120,000. 

"I look forward to returning to Hawaii each offseason to give back to the community that is so supportive of me," said Victorino.  "I am honored to team with the Hawaii Children's Cancer Foundation, an organization that provides great resources and amazing support to children and their families who face unbelievable challenges," he added.

“The Hawaii Children's Cancer Foundation is extremely grateful to be the beneficiary of the Second Annual Shane Victorino Celebrity Golf Classic & Auction to be held Saturday, November 21st at Maui’s Makena Beach & Golf Resort,” said Dale Saito, board president of the Hawaii Children's Cancer Foundation.  “Shane Victorino’s exceptional accomplishments on and off the baseball field make him a hero and inspiration to all Hawaii -- and especially to our kids who are battling cancer.”

At the Second Annual Shane Victorino Celebrity Golf Classic, corporate teams of four will be joined by celebrity team captains to compete for the championship to win fabulous awards, including Tiffany & Co. custom-engraved crystal baseballs, authentic Shane Victorino autographed Phillies jerseys and other golf-related prizes.

A dinner, silent and live auction, as well as an awards ceremony will follow the tournament in the Ka’eo Ballroom at the resort. Guests will also have the opportunity to participate in a Tiffany & Co. Mystery Blue Box promotion to win a gorgeous 18K white gold heart pendant with round brilliant diamonds from the Etoile Collection (value $1,300).

Auction items include a VIP Experience with Rachael Ray in New York City, surfing lessons with surfing legend Laird Hamilton, an original Bernard Passman black coral diamond and gold Omega bracelet, unique memorabilia signed by sports’ biggest stars,foursome of golf at Trump National Golf Club, seven-daycruise for two aboard the Holland-America Phillies adventure, trip to Philadelphia complete with a meet/greet with Shane Victorino, getaways at Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu and Makena Beach & Golf Resort on Maui, as well as fun “days/evenings out” from Maui restaurants, hotels and excursion companies.

Celebrity participants scheduled to join Victorino include:

-Joe Blanton, Philadelphia Phillies
-Kila Ka'aihue, Kansas City Royals

-Raeceen Woolford, Miss Hawaii 2009

-Roy Yamaguchi, Celebrity Chef, Restaurateur

-Chad Gaudin, New York Yankees

-Ryan Howard, NL MVP, Philadelphia Phillies All-Star

-Brandon League, Toronto Blue Jays

-Pat O’Connell, Surfing Hall of Fame

-Mark Rolfing, NBC Golf Analyst

-Lenn Sakata, retired, 1983 World Series Champion

-Huston Street, Colorado Rockies

-Don Chapman, Midweek Magazine Editor
-Howard Dashefsky, UH Collegiate World Series Team Member

-Keoni DeRenne, retired baseball player

-Sid Fernandez, retired, 1986 World Series Champion

-Tadd Fujikawa, PGA

-Danny Kaleikini, Ambassador of Aloha, entertainer

-Archie Kalepa, Surfer

-Derek Tatsuno, Retired professional baseball player

-Neil Everett, ESPN Sports Center Anchor and event Celebrity Emcee

Sponsors for the event include the Makena Beach & Golf Resort and Benchmark Hospitality International, Philadelphia Phillies, Four Seasons Resort Maui, Dusk, Oceanic Time-Warner, Loews Hotels, OfficeMax, State Farm Insurance, Red Stripe Planes, Dowling Company, ACES, Marcraft Apparel Group, A&B Foundation, Gailher DeRobertis Ono, Goodfellow Brothers, HHSAA, HC&S, Hawaii Operating Engineers, Rick & Mina Humphreys, Las Vegas Baseball Club, John & Mary Rainsford Charitable Foundation, Tommy Bahama Café, www.ulist.com, Vision-Enterprises and the Yokouchi Foundation. In-kind sponsors include Akadema, Akina Tours & Transportation, Ali’i Leis, Bernard K. Passman Café  O’Lei, Maui Brewing Co., Hurley, In Bloom Florist, Majestic Athletic, Maui Brewing Co., Maui Soda & Ice Works, Nike, Ocean Vodka, Red Bull, Photography By Irvin, Show Systems Maui, Tommy Bahama Rum, Wolfgang Puck’s Spago, Tiffany & Co., Vacations Hawaii, R & D Technologies and VIP Food Service.

For more information on the Second Annual Shane Victorino Celebrity Golf Classic, contact Lisa Young, Event Director, at 310.722.1590 or visitwww.shanevictorino.com.

For more information on Makena Beach & Golf Resort and for reservations, call 800-321-MAUI (6284) or 808-874-1111, or visitwww.makenaresortmaui.com.

Resort and golf course photography available at: http://benchmarkhospitality.com/Media_Center/Property_Photography.asp?p_id=48

About Shane Victorino

Known as “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” for his intense style of play and lightning speed, Maui’s own Shane Victorino recently finished his fifth season with MLB’s Philadelphia Phillies. In 2009, Shane and his Phillies’ teammates earned their third straight NL East championship and advanced to their second consecutive World Series. The 5’9” dynamo again elevated his play, earning an All-Star appearance, setting new career-highs in nearly every statistical category. Following the Phillies’ 2008 World Series victory, Victorino was honored with a Gold Glove for his outstanding play.

The civic-minded Victorino was recently presented the 2009 Phi Delta Theta International Lou Gehrig Memorial Award given annually to the MLB player who best exemplifies the giving character of Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig. In addition, he is a member of the Philadelphia Action Team, a national young volunteer initiative by the MLB Trust and Volunteers of America and is featured in a national ad campaign promoting volunteerism. Last year, Shane established the Shane Victorino Celebrity Golf Tournament in Maui to give back to the Hawaii community.

Born Shane Patrick Victorino, the 29-year-old is a native of Maui, Hawaii, where he was a four-sport prep all-star at St. Anthony’s High School. Shane is engaged to Melissa Smith. The couple are proud parents of Keenan and Kali'a. Shane recently created his official website, www.shanevictorino.com.

About the Hawaii Children's Cancer Foundation

Hawaii Children's Cancer Foundation (HCCF) serves to assist, support and advocate for the needs of children diagnosed with cancer, their families and long-term survivors of childhood cancer. The Foundation is dedicated to those who have survived, and to those who survive in our hearts.  For more information, visit the website at www.hccf.org

About Makena Beach & Golf Resort

Makena Beach & Golf Resort is situated on 1,800 acres of the southern shore of Maui in the Makena district of the island. The property offers 310 guestrooms and suites, each featuring private lanais, and commands sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, as well as vistas of Maui's diverse landscape and the 10,000-foot Mount Haleakala.

The resort also features championship golf on the acclaimed Makena Golf Course, a Robert Trent Jones, Jr., 18-hole course that runs along the Pacific coastline, adjacent to the hotel. With stunning views from nearly every hole, the course is renowned for its ancient Hawaiian rock walls, natural gullies and stream beds, which were incorporated into the course's design.  Makena Beach & Golf Resort is operated by Benchmark Hospitality International.

Benchmark Hospitality International is a leader in the management and marketing of resorts, conference centers, hotels, and Personal Luxury Hotels™.  The privately held company, launched in 1980, is a founding member of the International Association of Conference Centers.  Benchmark Hospitality is a worldwide organization operating properties in major metropolitan and resort destinations.  Benchmark's international headquarters is located in The Woodlands, Texas, near Houston, with regional offices inNew Jersey and Connecticut.  International offices are located in Tokyo, Japan, andSantiago, Chile. For the location of Benchmark’s properties and additional information, visit www.benchmarkhospitality.com.