ABCOE is proud to be the Membership Sponsor of the Penrith Panthers NRL team. The Panthers are one of 16 teams in the NRL’s elite rugby league competition and we wish them well for the 2010 season.

21 April 2009

Panthers Sign New Sleeve Sponsor

Penrith Panthers have today announced they have a new sleeve sponsor.
 
ABCOE Distributors have signed a three year sponsorship with the Panthers to become their Sleeve Sponsor for the remainder of 2009, moving on to become their official Membership Sponsor for 2010 and 2011.
 
ABCOE are an Australian owned and operated company based in Penrith who specialise in supplying bulk business and domestic goods to businesses and households alike.
 
Panthers CEO Michael Leary said “we are very proud ABCOE have chosen to partner us for the next three years. In today’s tough economic conditions, this sponsorship is a sign of the belief and confidence the market place has in the Panthers brand.
 
Like us, ABCOE are committed to success and are competitive in all aspects of their business. We look forward to partnering them to further growth and success for many years to come”.
 
ABCOE Managing Director David O’Neill asserted “The synergies and similarities between our two businesses are extraordinary. Panthers have a young, ambitious team with a big future in front of them....and the same can be said for ABCOE.
 
Just as important though, is the commitment both our organisations have to serving the western Sydney community the best possible product and results. It is for this reason a partnership with Panthers was the obvious choice for growing the profile and trade of our business”.
 
The sponsorship will be officially launched at the Panthers Vs Titans match at CUA Stadium on Monday night April 27th.

29 May 2009

Panthers Go Pink

The mighty mountain men from the foot of the Blue Mountains will transform into the Pink Panthers for the NRL’s Harvey Norman Women In League Round from June 12-15.

In its third year, the Harvey Norman Women In League Round honours the role of women in Rugby League with the Panthers to play a leading role by wearing pink jerseys, shorts, socks and, in Jarrod Sammut’s case, pink boots – as well as using pink footballs.

The NRL is donating funds raised from the auction of the pink game balls to its charity partner the National Breast Cancer Foundation with the Panthers also doing their bit on a local level, raising funds to support the Breast Cancer Unit at Nepean Hospital.

The Panthers’ jerseys (1-17) will be placed up for auction along with Sammut’s boots all of which will be signed by the player who wore the item. The items will be a collector’s special as the Panthers will only wear the jerseys once this year.

In addition, the players have introduced a novel way to raise funds themselves. Luke Lewis came up with the idea of growing beards to raise money among the players and has since spread to include the coaching and medical staff.

Each player is required to grow a beard and is not allowed to shave it off until after the game in Round 14. Minor trimming and shaping is permitted, though shaving is not and heavy fines apply to those who do.

In what has started as a light hearted way of fundraising has revealed a serious side to the cause they are supporting.

A number of the players have made comment about the discomfort they are experiencing which further highlights the extreme discomfort and anguish breast cancer places on women who are diagnosed with the disease.

“For myself and the rest of the team we can shave our beards off at anytime if we want to relieve the discomfort,” Luke Lewis said. “But for women suffering from breast cancer it isn’t that easy nor is the treatment they must go through.”

“Almost everyone knows a mother, a sister, an aunt or a friend who has been touched by this terrible disease.

“If we can raise awareness as well as some funds towards research into the prevention and treatment of breast cancer then hopefully we can make a difference to some one’s life.”

ABCOE also got into the spirit on the night by providing and selling pink balloons for a gold coin donation to this worthy cause.

5 June 2009

Panthers Sponsors Weightloss Challenge

Panthers most senior sponsors are coming together for a good cause.

 
Bill Crichton, President of Sanyo Oceania (Panthers major sponsor), David O’Neill and Jonathon Wall, Directors and owners of ABCOE Distributors (Panthers sleeve sponsors) and Shannon Donato, Panthers Marketing Manager will be starting on the Tony Ferguson Weightloss Program (Panthers lower back of Jersey Sponsor) in a ‘Weightloss Challenge’ in support of charity... and their own health.
 
In the ‘biggest loser’ type competition, each of these sponsor family members will go on to the Tony Ferguson program for three months, with the person achieving the highest weightloss percentage (from their original starting weight) being crowned the eventual winner.
 
The prize is a Sanyo 42” HD LCDTV, generously donated by Sanyo/Bill Crichton, which the winner gets to donate their designated charity.
 
The ‘Panthers Sponsors Weightloss Challenge’ officially begins on June 1st and each participant’s weightloss percentage will be logged and updated weekly on the Panthers website, with the eventual victor being crowned at the final weigh-in on August 31st.
 
May the best man win.
 
The designated charities are:
 
Bill Crichton (SANYO): NATIONAL BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION
The National Breast Cancer Foundation is an Australian not-for-profit foundation established to promote and support research into every aspect of breast cancer.
www.nbcf.org.au
 
 
David O’Neill (ABCOE): OZWAC
Australian Women and Children's Research Foundation is a Medical Research Foundation based in Western Sydney.
www.ozwac.com.au
 
 
Jonathon Wall (ABCOE): GUIDE DOGS ASSOCIATION
Provides a full range of orientation and mobility services to people with a vision impairment. www.guidedogs.com.au

Shannon Donato (PANTHERS): PANTHERS ON THE PROWL
A Community Development Foundation established to improve the lifestyle options of Western Sydney families. www.panthersontheprowl.com.au

For all the up to date information on Penrith Panthers go to their website