LAKE MARY, FL – Travel writer Cynthia Janssens will be honored as the recipient of the ING Chi Chi Rodriguez Humanitarian Award at the 23rd Annual ING Spring Conference May 19-23 at Reunion Resort in Orlando.
This annual gathering of golf media, companies and executives from the golf industry is set for May 19-23 at beautiful Reunion Resort in Orlando. The non-profit International Network of Golf, the industry’s only media-based networking organization, conducts the conference. ING is “where the media and golf industry connect.”
Anyone in the golf industry and media is invited to join ING and attend the conference. Call 407-328-0500, ext. 1 for details.
The ING Chi Chi Rodriguez Humanitarian Award goes to a member of the media whose actions have contributed to the betterment of society.
Janssens has been chairing the Rally for the Cure at the Pelican Sound Golf & River Club in Estero, FL, since its inception 11 years ago. In those years, over $467,000 has been raised. A portion of the earnings goes to the national Komen for the Cure for breast cancer research and the balance goes to the local Southwest Florida affiliate where it is used to pay for breast cancer education, detection and treatment for women (and men) without the means to pay for it themselves.
“Our Rally has grown from a small ladies day event to an event that runs over several days and has several components,” said Janssens. “There is a Rally auction which raises the most money, and a day-long ladies golf tournament (double-shotgun on three nines) in which over 325 women play. Many ING members have contributed to our auction, and we are most appreciative.”
The event is ranked No. 6 in the world for the amount of money raised by the Rally, according to Janssens. “That’s no mean feat when you consider that almost all of the money is raised within the community,” said Janssens.
She was one of 10 men and women honored by Pinnacle Golf in 2012 for “Going the Distance Against Breast Cancer,” and $10,000 was donated to Komen in her name.
Janssens, who credits husband Chet for doing a great deal of work on the event over the years, will join nine other previous winners when she is presented with the Chi Chi award on Tuesday night, May 21. Previous winners are: 1997 – Chi Chi Rodriguez; 1998 – Fred Raphael; 1999 – Mario Paracenzo, GWAA; 2000 – Golfweek; 2001 – Geoff Converse; 2002 – Peter Gzowski; 2005 – Pat Clarke; 2010 – Ann Liguori; 2011 – Mitch Laurance.
Attendees at the ING Spring Conference will have the opportunity to test the latest and greatest golf products from manufacturers large and small during the popular ING Demo Lab. Companies with golf clubs, putters and training aids get space on the range and putting green to display product. Attendees, including golf writers, broadcasters and editors from media outlets across America come through the Lab to capture first-hand knowledge of the equipment.
The featured golf competition that week will be the World Golfers Amateur Tour National Qualifier on Monday of the conference. This individual net stroke play will take place over the Watson Course, with five flight winners earning spots in the WGAT National Finals in Mesquite, NV, in September. Flight winners there will be on Team USA in the World Finals in South Africa.
The Durland Cup Scramble will be played over the Palmer Course at Reunion on Wednesday May 22. The competition is named after longtime ING Golf Committee chairman Larry Durland.
Reunion Resort is located only 25 minutes southwest of the Orlando International Airport, and is part of the newly established Grand Golf Resorts of Florida – a Salamander Collection – along with 2011 ING host Innisbrook Resort near Tampa and Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast.
Along with the three diverse golf courses by Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, Reunion is also home to the ANNIKA Academy of Annika Sorenstam, and the Frankly Putting PAD of Frank Thomas.
ING attendees will be treated to the incredible 3-bedroom villas for their accommodations. The villas average approximately 2,200 square feet. Each bedroom has its own bathroom and TV, and shares a spacious and well-appointed living room and kitchen with the other two bedrooms. Each villa also features a balcony and flat-screen TVs.
The ING Conference is open to everyone in the golf industry and media. For more information, call 407-328-0500, ext. 1. For more information regarding Reunion Resort, visit www.reunionresort.com.
Contact:
Mike Jamison
407-328-0500, ext. 1
mike@jamisongolf.com
