Race to benefit Grand Rapids Public Schools

Cycling Classic to benefit Grand Rapids Public Schools

(GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – August 20, 2008) Priority Health is introducing the Grand Rapids Breakaway VIP Club, a new addition to the Second Annual Priority Health Grand Cycling Classic held in conjunction with Celebration on the Grand on Saturday, September 6. Breakaway VIP Club tickets, priced at $25, will grant access to an exclusive viewing area hosted by the Tap House Lounge (corner of Fulton and Ionia) and Sysco. All proceeds for the event will benefit the Grand Rapids Public Schools physical education program. In addition to a spectacular view of the race, Breakaway Club VIP members will enjoy a buffet, soft drinks and the opportunity to win great prizes.

"Health and wellness are at the core of Priority Health’s mission," said Kim Horn, president and CEO of Priority Health. "Creating a benefit for the Grand Rapids Public Schools was a natural next step. This has the potential to impact the health of students and the community."

Breakaway VIP Club tickets can be purchased online at priorityhealthclassic.com. Tickets will also be available on Saturday, Sept. 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (cash sales only) at the Tap House Lounge, 8 Ionia SW, downtown Grand Rapids. Priority Health is matching all ticket sales, doubling the value of the donation to the Grand Rapids Public Schools.

"Corporate partners like Priority Health are essential to the future of the Grand Rapids Public Schools," says Dr. Bernard Taylor, superintendent, Grand Rapids Public Schools. "Initiating a charitable component in an event like the Priority Health Classic is a win-win for everyone involved and, in this case, mobilizes the community in supporting their public school system."

Described as the intensity of Tour de France meeting the excitement of NASCAR, the Priority Health Classic will run from 10:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and feature races attracting some of the best professional and amateur cyclists from across the nation. Cyclists will compete on a 1.2-kilometer circuit around downtown Grand Rapids for a prize purse totaling $30,000. Volunteers and cyclists are encouraged to sign up for the Priority Health Grand Cycling Classic by visiting priorityhealthclassic.com.

About Priority Health
Priority Health is a nationally recognized health plan company based in Michigan. It serves a half-million members with a broad portfolio of products including commercial and government health plans. A nonprofit dedicated to providing all people access to affordable health care, Priority Health is Michigan’s top-rated health plan and ranks 11th in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report and the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Priority Health employs 1,000 people throughout Michigan’s Lower Peninsula with offices in Grand Rapids, Farmington Hills, Holland, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Saginaw and Traverse City. 

About Spectrum Health
Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan that offers a full continuum of care through its seven hospitals, more than 140 service sites and 560,000-member health plan, Priority Health. Spectrum Health's 14,000 employees, 1,500 medical staff members and 2,000 volunteers are committed to delivering the highest quality care to those in medical need. The organization provided $98.6 million in community benefit during its 2007 fiscal year. Spectrum Health has earned nearly 70 national awards during the past 10 years.