PGA Tour veteran, La Quinta resident Scott McCarron makes donation on behalf of his fellow tour players
LA QUINTA, CA – Desert Classic Charities (DCC), the local non-profit entity that has organized the Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation (formerly the Bob Hope Classic) for 53 years, today joined forces with PGA TOUR players in donating $21,000 to The First Tee of the Coachella Valley.
The funds were provided to DCC by players from their shares of the Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation pro-am during the January PGA TOUR event. Tour veteran and La Quinta resident Scott McCarron presented The First Tee with the check at a ceremony in Palm Desert.
“This was something that as players and as one-time junior golfers, we all take a lot of pride in doing – paying it forward,” McCarron said. “As an organization, The First Tee has already made a difference in the lives of many kids and, as players, we know that every little bit helps here.”
After the presentation, McCarron conducted a golf clinic for approximately 50 children from throughout the Coachella Valley. He also donated select golf equipment he has collected during the span of his playing career to The First Tee.
“This gives you an idea of what kind of people Tour players are and how willing they are to give back every chance they get,” Tournament Chairman Larry Thiel said. “We can’t thank Scott and his fellow players enough for this gesture. Scott not only took the time to be here today on behalf of the pros who participated in the Humana Challenge pro-am, but he was also generous enough to donate select golf equipment that he has collected over the span of his playing career to The First Tee. To kindly offer to donate his equipment to The First Tee is an event we are grateful to be a part of.”
Charitable works have been a hallmark of this event since its inception. During the past 53 years, the event has generated more than $52 million in donations to the Eisenhower Medical Center and charities within the Coachella Valley. Last week, DCC presented more than $2 million to 40 Coachella Valley organizations – a record.
The First Tee of the Coachella Valley is a first-time tournament beneficiary.
“The First Tee is very grateful to the PGA TOUR players for their generosity and to Desert Classic Charities for their support,” said Glenn Miller, executive director, The First Tee of the Coachella Valley. “These funds will help enable us to bring the game of golf and its life lessons to young people who might not otherwise have a chance to enjoy the opportunity.”
An initiative of the World Golf Foundation, The First Tee’s focus is to give young people of all backgrounds an opportunity to develop through golf and character education. Emphasis is placed on life-enhancing values, such as honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and good judgment. Along with those nine core values, the program emphasizes nine healthy physical, emotional and social habits.
All the latest tournament information, including all charity news, can be found on the event’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/HumanaChallenge – and Twitter page – www.twitter.com/HumanaChallenge (@HumanaChallenge). The Humana Challenge encourages the community, golf fans and tournament patrons to become a fan on Facebook and a follower on Twitter.
The Humana Challenge continues to honor and celebrate the legacy of Bob Hope through its presentation of the Bob Hope Memorial Trophy, won for the first time by 2012 champion Mark Wilson, who held off three players for a two-shot victory.
About Humana Inc.
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 10.2 million medical members, 7.1 million specialty members, and operates more than 300 medical centers and 240 worksite medical facilities. Humana is a full-service benefits and well-being solutions company, offering a wide array of health, pharmacy and supplemental benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals, as well as primary and workplace care through its medical centers and worksite medical facilities. Over its 50-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio. More information regarding Humana is available at www.humana.com.
About_Desert_Classic_Charities Desert Classic Charities is dedicated to serving human needs in the Coachella Valley with funds generated by operating the tournament, one of the premier celebrity pro-am golf events in the world. The primary charitable recipient has been the Eisenhower Medical Center.
About the William J. Clinton Foundation
Building on a lifetime of public service, President Bill Clinton established the William J. Clinton Foundation with the mission to improve global health, strengthen economies, promote healthier childhoods, and protect the environment by fostering partnerships among governments, businesses, nongovernmental organizations and private citizens to turn good intentions into measurable results. Since 2001, President Clinton’s vision and leadership have resulted in more than 4 million people benefiting from lifesaving HIV/AIDS treatment; more than 14,000 U.S. schools building healthier learning environments; more than 26,000 micro-entrepreneurs, small business owners, and smallholder farmers improving their livelihoods and communities; and more than 2 million tons of greenhouse gases cut or abated in some of the world’s largest cities. And President Clinton has redefined the way we think about giving and philanthropy through his Clinton Global Initiative, whose members have made more than 2,100 commitments that are improving the lives of nearly 400 million people in more than 180 countries.
About PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is the world’s premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, co-sanctioning more than 100 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour. The PGA TOUR’s mission is to entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and economic impact in communities in which it plays, and provide financial opportunities for TOUR players.
Contact:
Toby Zwikel/Brian Robin
(818) 462-5599/(818) 462-5610
Pat Bennett
(760) 346-8184
