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NEW ORLEANS (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Zurich Financial Services, title sponsor of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans PGA TOUR event, today announced that its 2007 Birdies for Books program raised a total of $390,000. These funds will directly benefit the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries' Gulf Coast School Library Recovery Initiative (GCSLRI). The GCSLRI is a special project to help hurricane-impacted Gulf Coast schools purchase new books for their school libraries.

"I am so pleased with the results of the program and my thanks go out to everyone who participated," said First Lady Laura Bush. "This substantial donation will go a long way toward putting books on the shelves and hope in the hearts of teachers and students alike."

"Thanks to some great golf and generous people in New Orleans, schoolchildren in the region will have the books they need to learn and further their education," said James J. Schiro, CEO of Zurich Financial Services. "We are thrilled and grateful that we surpassed our goal to raise $250,000 for the Gulf Coast School Library Recovery Initiative by more than $140,000."

The Birdies for Books program based donations on the number of "birdies" made during the 2007 Zurich Classic. A "birdie" is the term used to designate a score of one stroke under par on a hole. Zurich Financial Services pledged $100 to the Laura Bush Foundation for each birdie made, and encouraged local businesses and tournament spectators to match with a donation at any level.

During the event a total of 1,556 birdies were made by the talented PGA TOUR players. The golfer with the most birdies -- 19 in all -- was Nick Watney, winner of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Zurich has now donated $155,600 to the Birdies for Books program.

In an incredibly generous contribution, Martha and Gary Solomon, local New Orleanians, donated $150,000 to the program. In addition, Nu-Lite Electrical Wholesalers, the largest independent electrical distributor in the New Orleans area, donated $76,000 to the Fore!Kids Foundation, which was immediately earmarked for Birdies for Books. Other local businesses, including Gennaro's Bar and Restaurant and New Orleans Country Club, also contributed, as well as Houston, Texas-based The Coneway Foundation.

As well, generous spectators at the Zurich Classic made donations at booths across the course and TV viewers contributed through BirdiesForBooks.com.

Zurich Classic 2007 champion Nick Watney stated that along with Zurich's announcement of the $390,000 raised, he will personally donate $25,000 to Birdies for Books, making the total donation $415,000. In winning this year's tournament, Watney carded a tournament-leading 19 birdies.