Celebrity Golf Raises $250,000 for Area Children

The Hilton Head Island Celebrity Golf Tournament has been a Labor Day Weekend Tradition for the past 27 years bringing stars, amateur golfers and non-golfers together to raise money for children’s charities in Hilton Head, Bluffton and Beaufort. Thipast Labor Day Weekend was wet and soggy but that did not dampen the charitable spirits and camaraderie among those attending.

The Tournament raised a record amount of $250,000.00 that will be distributed to children with the greatest of needs in the coming weeks. This year’s event brings the amount of distribution to local children’s charities to over $3,000,000 since the inception of the Tournament. 

Tournament beneficiaries include the following: Child Abuse Prevention Association, The Deep Well Children’s Fund, Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, Heroes on Horseback, Children’s Relief Fund, First Presbyterian Day School, All Saints Preschool, Island Lutheran Preschool, Ella C. White Memorial Scholarship, Children’s Center, Boys & Girls Club, Hope Haven of the Lowcountry, Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse, May River Montessori, St. Luke’s Preschool, Providence Children’s Center, Bluffton Self Help and Volunteers in Medicine Clinic.

Special monetary gifts will also be given to: Thumbs Up, Caroline N Friends, Week of Champions and the Pregnancy Center & Clinic.

Over the years the Tournament has also reached out to help others in need. In 2005 Celebrity Golf donated $25,000 to families in Long Beach, MS who had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

While the event is recognized as one of the most well respected and longest running Celebrity Golf Tournaments in the country it is best known for its relaxed and entertaining weekend with friendly well known Celebrities such as: Jim Calhoun, Bobby Cremins, Bonnie Blair, Bob Cousy, Johnny Bench, Ozzie Smith, Mark Malone, Jay Bilas, Jack O’Callahan, Rollie Fingers, Chris Gardocki, Serge Savard, Cazzie Russell, Sam Jones, Branford Marsalis, Gale Sayers, Micky Dolenz, Dan Tyminski, Little Anthony, Richard Dent, Frank Viola, Gary Carter, Ed Marinaro, Alan Kalter, Ben Wright, Paul Williams, Robert Newman, Scott Record, Henry Cho, Gary Mule Deer, Richard Roundtree, Cazzie Russell, Sam Jones and the list goes on. For a complete list of their Celebrity friends visit their website at www.hhcelebritygolf.com.

Celebrities are not the only popular guests during the weekend as it was the 6th year the tournament honored firefighters from New York City, featured in the award winning documentary 9/11 and the 3rd year they have honored service members stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort who have returned from duty in Iraq.

Tournament Directors Gayle Wingo and Kim Capin are already making plans for the 2008 Tournament and they are proud to announce that the Heritage Golf Group is a new Host Golf Course Sponsor for the Friday, August 29th round at Arthur Hills at Palmetto Hall. The Saturday, August 30th round will be hosted by the Robert Trent Jones at Palmetto Dunes and the Sunday August 31 round will be hosted by the Harbour Town Golf Links at Sea Pines Resort.

For complete Tournament information call (843) 842-7711.