September 11, 2004

UMass Dartmouth Athletics and SE Mass Shrine
Club to co-sponsor UMD Invitational and Shrine Bowl

(Dartmouth, MA) – The UMass Dartmouth Athletic Department are teaming up with the
Shrine Club of Southeastern Massachusetts and Aleppo Shriners to sponsor the second
annual Shrine Day which will be held on the Dartmouth campus this Saturday, September 18th. 

Among the activities and events being co-sponsored by Corsair Athletic Department and the
Shriners are the 32^nd annual UMass Dartmouth Cross Country Invitational and the
UMass Dartmouth-Bridgewater State football game. The first of four races at the cross country
invitational will get underway at 10”30 am and continue until 12:45 pm.

The Second Annual Shrine Bowl football game between UMass Dartmouth and Bridgewater
State College will be played on the Bridgewater State campus the same day.  Members of the
King Philip Shrine Club from the Taunton area will work at the football game, promoting the
Shrine Club’s efforts and raising money for the Shrine Travel Fund.  UMass Dartmouth
captured the first Shine Bowl with a 34-13 win over the Bears at Cressy Field last September.

“Building upon our tremendous success last year, we are looking forward to another
exciting opportunity to work with members of the Shrine Club of Southeastern Massachusetts
to help them continue to do the outstanding work they are known for,” said UMass Dartmouth
Athletic Director Robert W. Mullen,  “And in return, the Shrine Club has donated prizes, gifts and
will be active participants in all of the events on Saturday.”

The two groups began planning meetings following last year’s inaugural Shrine Day at UMass
Dartmouth, developing the theme for the day’s events – “College Athletes Run So Children Can
Walk”.  Proceeds from special fundraising events that will be taking place on Saturday will
benefit the Shrine Travel Fund which is set up to pay for fast travel transporting children to Shriners
Hospitals when a life is in the balance.

The longest running cross country race of its kind in New England, the UMass Dartmouth Cross Country
Invitational brings together almost 1,000 of the top NCAA Division III male and female cross country
runners and teams from throughout New England for a day of athletic competition on the UMass Dartmouth
campus.

“The race will be an opportunity for the Shriners of Southeastern Massachusetts to raise public awareness
for its work as “the world’s greatest philanthropy”, said Shrine Club Chairman Ralph A. Brown and event
co-chairman.  “With 500,000 Shrine members in North America, the 22 Shriners Hospitals are located
throughout the country providing treatment, research and education along with free care and services
for children under age 18.”

In addition to prizes, awards, refreshments and t-shirts being provided by the Shriners to all of the cross
country race participants, special awards for the football game will also be presented.  Game most
valuable player trophies will be presented to a member of both the UMass Dartmouth and Bridgewater State
football teams along with a Shrine Classic trophy to be presented to the winning team.

The Shriners have two hospitals in Massachusetts, including the Shriners Burns Hospital in Boston and the
Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield, providing orthopedic and spinal care and research.