Golf clinic, pro-am, dinner and concert proceeds to benefit healthy lifestyles in children
Destin, Fla. (Sept. 8, 2011) – The ANNIKA Foundation, founded by women’s golf legend Annika Sorenstam, in partnership with Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, the #1 resort on Florida’s Emerald Coast, announced today the signing of an agreement to host a one-of-a-kind celebrity fundraising event in May 2012.
The inaugural ANNIKA & Friends at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort will take place May 18-19, 2012. Annika, along with her celebrity friends and famous athletes, will join in an amazing weekend filled with golf, social events and fine dining. All proceeds from ANNIKA & Friends at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort will go toward implementing SPARK – the leading physical education program for children in schools – in elementary schools in Northwest Florida and across the state.
Annika is often considered the greatest female golfer of all time, and her extremely successful career changed the way women’s golf is played, viewed and covered. After stepping-away from professional golf at the end of the 2008 season, Annika began concentrating her efforts on the ANNIKA Foundation, whose mission is to teach children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition, and offer aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams.
In 2009, the ANNIKA Foundation partnered with SPARK and Annika became its national spokesperson to help educate America’s youth about the benefits of physical fitness and proper nutrition. Proceeds from ANNIKA & Friends at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort will provide support for the implementation of SPARK in selected elementary schools in both Okaloosa and Walton Counties.
On Friday, May 18, the event will kick off with a cocktail reception featuring ANNIKA wines and dinner with Annika, celebrities and sports personalities.
On Saturday, May 19, the day will begin with a SPARK children’s fitness and health program, followed by a golf clinic conducted by Annika with the assistance of several celebrities at the Raven Golf Club Practice Facility.
Saturday’s pro-am tournament will consist of 26 teams of four amateurs paired with a prominent celebrity, LPGA player, PGA Tour player or sports personality. The teams will play at Sandestin’s Raven Golf Club, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., and compete for great prizes.
As an extra-special ending to the festivities, ANNIKA & Friends at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort will feature a charity concert by a major performing artist, to be announced later this month, on the North Park lawn at the beautiful Grand Boulevard at Sandestin. The concert will be held Saturday, May 19 at 7 p.m. General admission tickets will be available and pro-am participants will have priority seating for the show. Ticket proceeds will go to the ANNIKA Foundation, and ticket sales information will be announced soon.
For further details and sponsorship information about the event, please contact Monark Events at 850-728-9476 or inquire at info@monarkevents.com or www.annikafoundation.org.
About the ANNIKA Foundation
The ANNIKA Foundation teaches children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition, and offers aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams. The Foundation has partnered with several key organizations to promote healthy and active lifestyles for children, including SPARK, the leading physical education program for schools; Florida Hospital for Children, supporting its Healthy 100 Kids initiative; and The First Tee, developing the Nine Healthy Habits curriculum for children. The Foundation annually conducts three major golf events for aspiring junior girls, including the ANNIKA Invitational at Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla., the award-winning American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) event; the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills in China for top Asian juniors; and the ANNIKA Cup, a team event for the top juniors in Sweden. The Foundation awards SPARK grants to schools, is a financial supporter of Healthy 100 Kids, and has endowed an ACE scholarship with the AJGA. Other key Foundation initiatives include ANNIKA Junior Day, the ANNIKA Inspiration Award and scholarships for aspiring Swedish juniors. More information about the ANNIKA Foundation can be found at www.annikafoundation.org.
About Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is the #1 resort on Florida’s Emerald Gulf Coast, and was rated among the top golf resorts in the country by leading golf magazines. It is nestled on 2,400 spectacular acres from the Beach to the Bay. The resort features 30 charming communities with 1,400 villas, town home and condominiums and the finest in Destin, Florida area accommodations. Sandestin is part of South Walton, which was named as one of the top destinations in the world to visit by Frommer’s Travel Guide. Sandestin also features four championship golf courses, 15 world-class tennis courts, 19 swimming pools, a 98-slip marina, a fitness center and spa, The Village of Baytowne Wharf, a 29-acre village featuring boutique shops, casual and fine dining restaurants and nightlife.
Contact:
Laurie Hobbs, Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort
LaurieHobbs@Sandestin.com
(612) 220-1176
Sarah Brazwell, Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort
SarahBrazwell@Sandestin.com
(850) 267-6131
Justine Harris, ANNIKA Foundation
JustineH@ANNIKAFoundation.org
(407) 385-1252
Elizabeth McCollum, Brener Zwikel & Associates on behalf of Annika
elizabethm@bzapr.com
(813) 421-0550
