Big golf events raise funds for children’s needs
Written by Christine Senack | | christine@senackandassociates.comFor the past 19 years, Dick and Aliene Lyden have served as the founders and working chairpersons of the Toledo Children’s Hospital Pro Am Golf Tournament. Their volunteer service was an act of love in memory of their daughter Angela, who received treatment at Toledo Children’s Hospital (TCH). In Angela’s name, the Lyden’s founded “Angie’s Place” at TCH and proceeds of the tournament were directed towards that project.
Angie’s Place began as a book cart delivering age appropriate reading materials to pediatric patents at the hospital. Over the years it has grown into a complete children’s library space in TCH with an extensive catalog of children’s literature. The Lyden’s started the library because they believed that children’s minds needed to be stimulated while their bodies healed.
Dick & Aliene Lyden with Barbara Steele at the TCH Pro Am Awards Dinner.
“The kids are sick, not stupid,” said Dick Lyden.
The Lyden’s have spent two decades establishing and funding Angie’s Place. In this 20th year of the golf tournament, they celebrate with TCH the secured future of Angie’s Place through endowed funding. This year also marks a change for the Lyden’s involvement. They served only as honorary chairs this year and have stepped aside to let new leadership take on the event.
“This year’s event created a legacy for Angie’s place,” said Molly Long, executive director of the Toledo Children’s Hospital Foundation. “We have been very grateful to the Lyden’s for their 20 years of dedication and support.”
Additionally, this year is the first year that tournament proceeds will be used for other TCH projects, such as the new autism initiative.
The 18-hole day-long golf tournament had morning and afternoon flights with an awards dinner the following day. Forty five teams participated, and the tournament raised approximately $225,000 said Long,
Featuring seven days of events, the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic (JFOCC) is the region’s premier golf event raising money for charities. Among the sponsored events are Pro Am tournaments, days of LPGA tournament play and parties. One of the parties is the gala traditionally held on Tuesday night of the tournament week.
Judd Silverman, Christine Brennan, Nancy Lopez and Richard Hylant at the JFOCC gala.
The financially-troubled Merrill Lynch had been the sponsor of the gala for several years, but dropped out this year. When they did, the Toledo-based Hylant Group stepped up to save the event by providing lead sponsorship of the gala dinner and show.
The other lead sponsors of the JFOCC remained roughly the same. Kroger remained the presenting sponsor, and banks and hospitals remained on the sponsorship role. Owens Corning remained the title sponsor for the tournament.
The mission of the JFOCC is to raise monies for children’s charities of Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. Over the past 24 years the tournament has awarded $6.2 million to over 100 charities. Proceeds of this year’s tournament will be awarded in December to 12 charities. Last year the week-long tournament awarded $350,000 to local children’s charities.
Christine Senack is a Toledo-based consultant helping non-profit organizations, businesses and individuals work smarter for the greater good of our community. On occasion she also presents the TMZ Report on FOX Toledo News First at 4. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
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