New City, New York, July 14, 2008 – Tennis fans turned out in record numbers for the 2008 Kennedy Funding Invitational at the prestigious Dellwood Country Club in New City, NY. The event raised more than $1.125 million for the Leslie Simon Breast Care and Cytodiagnosis Center at Englewood Hospital and the Breast Care Center at Nyack Hospital, nearly double the amount raised last year.

The highlight of the event was The John McEnroe Celebrity Match presented by Cole Schotz, between McEnroe and Justin Gimelstob. McEnroe won 10-6 in a super-tiebreaker after splitting the first two sets.

Co-Directors James Miller, Mitch Klein, and Kevin Wolfer founded The Kennedy Funding Invitational in 2006. The three events have so far raised a total of more than $2 million to fight breast cancer.

Excited fans paid $100 each to watch the McEnroe-Gimelstob match. “I don’t think ever in Rockland County have we had that many people in one place, watching a tennis match,” said Klein who, with fellow New City resident Miller, started a tennis tournament five years ago to generate more interest in their favorite sport.

Before his match against Gimelstob, 31, the 49-year-old McEnroe said, “I can play pretty well for about an hour, so I figure I should be able to finish him off in that time frame.” It took him a half hour longer to beat Gimelstob, who retired after last year’s U. S. Open. McEnroe lost the first set 6-2 and won the second 6-3 before winning the tiebreaker.

In the men’s final, new pro Somdev Devvarman won $40,000 by defeating Dudi Sela 6-2, 6-4. He was runner-up last year but couldn’t accept any prize money since he was still an amateur. This year, he donated a portion of his winnings back to charity.

16th-ranked Victoria Azarenka held off her doubles partner, 25th-ranked Shahar Peer, to win the women’s final 6-3, 6-3. She earned $20,000 for her win, while Peer took home $10,000.

But the event wasn’t just a chance to see good tennis, it was an opportunity to raise money for a good cause. “How many people in three years can donate $2 million toward breast cancer?” Co-Director Klein said. “It’s heartwarming.”

And while Co-Director Miller described this year’s Kennedy Funding Invitational as “beyond my wildest expectations,” he’s already planning an even better one for 2009, starting with full 16-player fields in the men’s and women’s draws.

Echoing Miller, Co-Director Wolfer said, “We couldn’t be happier with the turnout and everything that took place. And next year, just wait. It will be even better.”

In the past, proceeds from The Kennedy Funding Invitational have been used to acquire advanced medical equipment. The Breast Care Center at Nyack Hospital, for example, has been able to purchase two digital mammography machines.

For information about sponsoring The Kennedy Funding Invitational in 2009, we invite you to contact
Kevin Wolfer at kevinwolfer@kennedyfunding.com, 1-800-342-8500, or Mitch Klein at mlkepa@aol.com, 914-643-0167.

Kennedy Funding is a commercial real estate lending company that specializes in unconventional financing where speed and attention to special circumstances are critical. Their unique lending program has made Kennedy Funding one of the largest direct, private lenders in the country. Kennedy Funding recognizes the importance of speed, and those loans must often be structured around each client's unique set of financial circumstances. Their program has been providing lightning-fast service and creative funding solutions throughout North America since 1986, and internationally since 1996.
www.kennedyfunding.com

For more information about The Kennedy Funding Invitational, please call (917) 607-6477, or visit www.thekennedyfundinginvitational.com.

For more information regarding Englewood Hospital and Medical Center Foundation, please call 201-894-3725, or visit www.englewoodhospital.com.

For more information on Nyack Hospital, please call 845-348-2000, or visit www.nyackhospital.org.