Tournament offers opportunity to get "inside the ropes"
Overland Park, Kansas – A volunteer, as described by Webster’s Dictionary, is a person who offers to help or work without expecting payment or reward. However, that doesn’t really describe what volunteering for the Greater Kansas City Golf Classic – an official PGA Champions Tour event – is all about. True, you will be a volunteer working without pay, but you will definitely be rewarded.
The Greater Kansas City Golf Classic, which will be held June 26 – July 2, 2006 at The Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate in Overland Park, Kan., is currently seeking volunteers for the event and is offering an excellent opportunity for golf enthusiasts to become involved. Volunteers will not only get an "inside the ropes" look at a professional golf event, they will also be an integral part in helping raise money for the tournament’s primary beneficiaries – Kansas City area children’s charities. The Greater Kansas City Golf Classic is presented by Sprint Nextel, HCA Midwest Health System, Garmin, and Cerner.
"It’s truly rewarding to be involved in an event that raises so much money for charity," said Bob Burris, Executive Director for the Greater Kansas City Golf Classic. "Our goal is to raise as much money as possible to help Kansas City area children through the tournament – and we simply can’t do it without the volunteers. It’s really neat how such a diverse group of people comes together to volunteer and work as a team. We’re like one big family during tournament week and we work hard to make every day enjoyable and safe for spectators and players."
The unique format of the Greater Kansas City Golf Classic offers golf fans the chance to see 76 Champions TOUR legends team up with 76 amateurs in a team format, similar to the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. The low 12 teams with scores posted during the Friday and Saturday Pro-Am will advance into Sunday’s final round.
Many people don’t realize the magnitude of the volunteer group needed to support an official PGA Tour event. In fact, some 800 volunteers are needed to properly coordinate the Greater Kansas City Golf Classic. There is an incredible amount of positions that need staffing during tournament week.
Volunteer jobs are divided into dozens of main categories, such as, Corporate Hospitality; Food and Beverage; Hole Marshals; Player Registration and Hospitality; Transportation; Walking Scorers, and many more. A committee chairperson, or "Captain," is assigned to each category, who then works with the volunteers to determine specific shift times. All Volunteers are asked to work a minimum of three shifts (4-6 hours each) during tournament week. In addition, volunteers are expected to attend a short orientation meeting the week before the tournament.
"You’ll be asked to work between 12-18 hours, and in exchange, we have put together a tremendous benefits package as a thank you," added Tom McAtee, Volunteer Chairman for the Greater Kansas City Golf Classic. "The perk package includes a round of golf at The Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate which is definitely worth the volunteer fee by itself."
Although there is a small fee of $75 which volunteers must pay, the Greater Kansas City Golf Classic is offering a special rate of $50 if you don’t care to play the round of golf.
Applications can be downloaded at www.greaterkansascitygolfclassic.com.
As a volunteer for the 2006 Greater Kansas City Golf Classic, your perk package will include:
The Greater Kansas City Golf Classic is managed by The Pride of Kansas City Foundation and benefits local children’s charities. Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older. Please visit the tournament’s website at www.greaterkansascitygolfclassic.com to download a registration form.
For additional volunteer information, please contact Kelly Wells, Tournament Coordinator, at 913-814-7744, or email kelly@prideofkc.org.
Greater Kansas City Golf Classic tickets can be purchased by calling 816-363-7827, or by visiting www.kcstarlight.com.
About The Pride of Kansas City Foundation
The Pride of Kansas City Foundation is a not for profit 501.C.3 private charitable organization initially formed to produce Kansas City’s annual Champions TOUR event and disburse the charitable proceeds raised. Ultimately, the Foundation will produce enriching community activities all-year-long that enhance the lifestyles of those who live in Kansas City, work in Kansas City and play in Kansas City. The Executive Board is made up of corporate and civic community leaders whose job will be to develop the guidelines for distributing charitable funds to the named charity. Visit www.greaterkansascitygolfclassic.com.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business and government customers. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks offering industry leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and an award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.
About HCA
HCA Midwest Health System operates 12 hospitals in the Kansas City metropolitan area, including Allen County Hospital, Menorah Medical Center, and Overland Park Regional Medical Center in Kansas; and Baptist-Lutheran Medical Center, Cass Medical Center, Independence Regional Health Center, Lafayette Regional Health Center, Lee’s Summit Hospital, Medical Center of Independence, Research Belton Hospital, Research Medical Center, and Research Psychiatric Center in Missouri. Nashville-based HCA (NYSE: HCA) formalized its $1.13 billion acquisition of Kansas City’s Health Midwest network of hospitals in April 2003. You may visit us online at www.HCAMidwest.com.
About Garmin
Based in Olathe, Kansas, Garmin International is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture, and sale of GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation, communication, and information equipment. The company has built and sold millions of products that serve automotive, consumer, wireless, marine, aviation, recreation, and fitness markets. From its StreetPilot® line of portable and easy-to-use automotive navigators – to the nüviâ?¢, a groundbreaking personal travel assistant – to the Forerunnerâ?¢ family of wrist-worn GPS training gear for fitness enthusiasts – Garmin makes products that improve people’s everyday lives. For more information visit www.garmin.com
About Cerner
Cerner Corp. is taking the paper chart out of healthcare, eliminating error, variance and waste in the care process. With more than 1,500 clients worldwide, Cerner is the leading supplier of healthcare information technology. NASDAQ: CERN www.cerner.com.
About The Champions Tour
The Champions Tour is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older. Conceived in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour, it has grown to 29 official events offering a minimum of $52.7 million in prize money in 2005 and its highest average purse ever of $1.82 million. The Champions Tour’s primary purpose is to provide significant competitive and earnings opportunities for players age 50 and older; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, Champions Tour events also generate significant sums of money for charity. On Oct. 30th, the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour and their tournaments announced they had reached the $1 billion milestone in charitable donations dating back to the first recorded donation in 1938. The commissioner of the PGA TOUR is Tim Finchem. Rick George is president of the Champions Tour. TOUR headquarters is in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Our web site address is www.PGATOUR.COM.
Contact:
Greater Kansas City Golf Classic
Brian Wright
Media Director
E-mail: brian@prideofkc.org
Phone: 913-484-7861
