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Media Contacts

George Vlahakis
IU Media Relations
gvlahaki@indiana.edu
812-855-0846

Kevin R. MacCauley
Circle of Life
president@iumini.com
812-760-5818 (cell)

Kathy Schoettlin
Old National Bancorp
Kathy.Schoettlin@oldnational.com
812-465-7269

Last modified: Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Old National Bank becomes title sponsor of Circle of Life IU Mini Marathon

Student-led effort will create scholarships for cancer survivors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 22, 2006

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Circle of Life IU Mini Marathon, an Indiana University student organization, today (March 22) announced that its inaugural running event on Sept. 9 will be exclusively presented by Old National Bank.

The mission of the Circle of Life IU Mini Marathon is to provide one of the nation's largest scholarships for cancer survivors, known as the Bill Z. Littlefield Scholarship for Survivors. The scholarship, named for a Kelley School of Business faculty member who died last summer from cancer, will be awarded to a cancer survivor to attend one of IU's eight campuses.

"It is a privilege for Old National Bank to be a partner in this unique and inspiring initiative. To have a group of students with the vision and passion to orchestrate such an event to benefit cancer survivors is nothing less than extraordinary." said Bob Jones, president and chief executive officer of Old National Bancorp.

Evansville native Kevin R. MacCauley, a junior at IU Bloomington and president and CEO of Circle of Life, thanked the financial service company and its employees.

"The genuine commitment of Old National Bank in providing students at Indiana's largest university with an opportunity to pursue a definitive mission proves not only their commitment to our inaugural mini marathon but to believing in the cancer community, education and the good will of all Hoosiers," MacCauley said.

Plans were announced this morning at an event for students and supporters at the Kelley School of Business' Godfrey Graduate and Executive Education Center on the Bloomington campus. Jones was joined by Joe Walker, regional president of Old National Bank; many colleagues from ONB's Bloomington and Evansville branches; and M.A. Venkataramanan, chairperson of the Kelley School's Undergraduate Program and the Lawrence D. Glaubinger professor of business administration.

Headquartered in Evansville, Ind., Old National Bancorp owns multiple financial service operations in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. With assets at $8.5 billion, Old National Bancorp is the largest financial holding company headquartered in Indiana. The partnership is the first for Old National Bank as well as the Circle of Life IU Mini Marathon.

With a capacity maximum set at 5,000 race participants, Circle of Life and Old National Bank will work closely over the next six months to create awareness for the inaugural event and the Bill Z. Littlefield Scholarship for Survivors.

Plans for raising awareness will involve the more than 115 Old National Bank banking centers, which will draw attention to the cause throughout the Midwest. Both organizations will develop plans for a donor drive campaign, a registration drive, pre-race entertainment and a post-race concert.

The 13.1-mile inaugural run will be the largest running event in southern Indiana and the state's first collegiate mini marathon. Runners will compete on a road route taking them throughout the IU Bloomington campus, which is renowned for its natural beauty. The course has been officially certified by the USA Track and Field Association.

With about six months left before the inaugural run, registrants are coming from all over Indiana and the United States. Runners thus far are coming from California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas. People from more than 20 cities in Indiana have registered.

The scholarship account has been established at the IU Foundation. Planners hope that once the scholarship is endowed, annual proceeds of the event will be able to support other charitable causes. Contributions can be sent to the IU Foundation at P.O. Box 500, Bloomington, IN 47402; made by phone at 812-855-5776; or made online at https://iufoundation.iu.edu (specify the name of the account: Circle of Life/Bill Littlefield Scholarship).

Also being planned are a 5K run and a family run on the same day as the mini marathon. To register for the Circle of Life IU Mini Marathon presented by Old National Bank, the 5K run or the 1-mile family run, go online to https://www.iumini.com.

Also lending support are the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which has awarded a $5,000 grant to the project and donated 5,300 yellow LIVESTRONG® wristbands for distribution to event attendees; and the IU Cancer Center.

Other announcements accompanied the news conference. Circle of Life and Old National Bank revealed a new mini marathon logo. Cheeseburger In Paradise is the Greek Challenge sponsor, which engages the Greek community on a variety of levels. WBWB Bloomington is the radio sponsor for the event and has developed a runner's request list to offer runners a chance to submit their favorite songs online to be played on course during the race.

Circle of Life also announced the launching of a new Web site that makes registration forms easier to access for computer users with various browsers. It also features an area where race registrants and organization supporters can offer feedback. To view the changes and learn more about today's announcements, go online to https://www.iumini.com.