U.S. Olympic Team Hopeful in Naples Surprised With New Vehicle

NAPLES, Fla. - Brian Shimer, Naples-native and U.S. Olympic Team hopeful in the sport of Bobsled, was surprised today by Bob Taylor Chevrolet of Naples with a new Venture as part of a unique vehicle donation program that supports aspiring athletes by providing them with vehicles to help them achieve their Olympic dreams.

Shimer is one of 40 hopefuls across the country receiving vehicles from Chevrolet The Team Behind The Team, a program designed to help relieve some of the burdens that Olympic training can put on an athlete and his or her family.

Selected athletes are being put behind the wheel of one of four new Chevrolet vehicles they can depend on to meet their daily transportation needs: a Tahoe, Silverado, Venture or Malibu. Vehicle assignments are based on athlete training and transportation needs.

"Chevrolet and its 4,300 dealerships, including Bob Taylor, are proud to support aspiring U.S. Olympic athletes," said Don Sheehan of Bob Taylor Chevrolet in Naples. "The Team Behind The Team helps ease the burden many athletes and their families face in pursuit of their Olympic dreams, namely by providing athletes with the reliable and high quality transportation they need to compete and train."

Having a vehicle is essential in helping Shimer improve his chances of achieving his Olympic dream. Shimer, a 39-year-old bobsledder and four-time Winter Olympian training for his fifth in Salt Lake City in 2002, had been in need of reliable transportation to commute to and from training camps in Atlanta from his home in Naples, where he resides with his wife Ann-Marie, who he wed this spring.

An Advisory Panel comprised of some of America's greatest U.S. Olympians selected the Chevrolet The Team Behind The Team athletes for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Representing this year's Advisory Panel are the following Olympic gold medalists: Speed skaters

Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen; figure skaters Peggy Fleming and Kristi Yamaguchi; skier Phil Mahre and track and field athlete Evelyn Ashford.

U.S. Olympic Team hopefuls who were considered for one of the 40 Chevrolet vehicles submitted a detailed application consisting of financial information, competitive history and placements, and a short essay describing why they should be selected. Selection was based on financial need, training and competition requirements and qualification as a U.S. Olympic Team hopeful. Rankings were then tabulated to determine the recipients of the vehicles.

JK Group, Inc., an independent company that manages corporate philanthropic programs, was enlisted by Chevrolet to administer The Team Behind The Team selection process. Spearheading the development of the overall process, JK Group worked with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and National Governing Bodies of Sport to identify prospective U.S. Olympic Team hopefuls that would be eligible for the program.

Chevrolet, which is General Motors' lead division for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games, has a long history of supporting the spirit of the Olympic Games through partnerships with many National Governing Bodies of Sport, including the U.S. Ski and Snowboarding Association, U.S. Figure Skating Association and USA Hockey. These partnerships, along with The Team Behind The Team program and Chevrolet's role as a presenting sponsor of the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Torch Relay, elevate Chevrolet's commitment to providing transportation solutions for the Olympic Games.

The Team Behind The Team program was first established by General Motors in 1999 when it donated vehicles to 100 U.S. Olympic hopefuls who aspired to make the team for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.