VPS C-store Group Hosts 28th Annual Auction and Golf Tourney

WILMINGTON, N.C. -- VPS Convenience Store Group is hosting its 28th annual Summer Swing Golf Tournament and Auction today and tomorrow, the company announced. The charity event will benefit the Boy Scouts of America, Cape Fear Council.

The dinner and auction will be held this evening at the Holiday Inn Resort at Wrightsville Beach, with the golf tournament kicking off Wednesday morning at the Magnolia Greens Golf Plantation in Leland.

All proceeds from the event will go to support any Boy Scout in the Cape Fear Council Scouting program, which covers an eight-county area of southeastern North Carolina, who needs financial assistance to participate in Scout activities or attend summer camp. The event will also support the Council's "Scoutreach" program, which covers inner city and rural parts of Cape Fear Council's coverage area. To date, VPS has contributed more than $1 million to the Scouts, according to the company.

The golf tournament, which has become the largest fundraising event in the history of the Cape Fear Council Boy Scouts program, has achieved national acclaim by the Boy Scouts organization and become a model for other scouting groups throughout the southern U.S., said VPS.

More than 200 golfers participated in last year's fundraiser. This year, Rich Mione, senior director of merchandising for VPS, will serve as the tournament chairman. Jeff Turpin, chairman and CEO of VPS, serves on the Executive Board of the Cape Fear Council, Boy Scouts of America.

The Cape Fear Council Boy Scouts program is based out of Wilmington, N.C. and serves more than 14,000 people through 2,100 volunteer leaders and 200 chartered organizations. VPS Convenience Store Group is also headquartered in Wilmington and operates under six brand names: Scotchman, Village Pantry, Lil Cricket, Young's, Next Door Stores and Everyday Shops.