Food Lion Continues CIAA Tournament Sponsorship

Food Lion is continuing its support of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Tournament by sponsoring a number of events for customers and CIAA fans. The Salisbury, N.C.-based grocer has been an official corporate partner of the association for more than 17 years.

This year, Food Lion will be the title sponsor for the 2011 Food Lion Women's Tournament, which runs from Monday, Feb. 28 through Saturday, March 5 at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C.

Additionally, the popular Taste of Food Lion stage will once again be set up at the CIAA Fan Experience taking place from Thursday, March 3; through Saturday, March 5. The free event will feature celebrity chef B. Smith, in addition to product sampling, cooking demonstrations and coupons for attendees.

CIAA patrons can also attend the CIAA Women's Health & Wellness Symposium sponsored by Food Lion and Thompson Hospitality at the Time Warner Cable Arena on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the tournament week. The event will offer free health screenings, panel discussions on health-related issues, product sampling, workout sessions, and giveaways.

Further, Food Lion Day at the CIAA, to be celebrated Friday, March 4, at the Time Warner Cable Arena, will feature the CIAA Scholarship check presentation, interactive games, premium giveaways and the Diversity Booth.

And on Saturday, March 5, Food Lion will sponsor the Miss CIAA Pageant. During halftime of the men's championship game, Food Lion and Sprite will announce and introduce the winner of the companies’ scholarship sweepstakes. The grand-prize winner will receive a $20,000 scholarship, with the first- and second runners-up getting $10,000 and $5,000 scholarships, respectively.

The Hampton, Va.-based CIAA is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II athletic conference consisting mainly of historically African-American institutions of higher education. Food Lion contributes more than $300,000 annually to the organization, with a third of that amount going toward scholarships for deserving students at CIAA schools.

Employing about 74,000 associates in 11 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states, the Food Lion family of banners operates more than 1,300 supermarkets, either directly or through affiliated entities, under the Food Lion, Bloom, Harveys or Reid’s trade names.