Think Pink Golf Tournaments

Many years ago I started a Think Pink movement at our club that was held during our Fall Member Member Classic.  I would put together a huge basket to raffle off.  We sold tee signs in memory of or in dedication to our members, family members etc that have survived or fought the good fight with breast cancer.
 I did this all in conjunction with The Susan G. Komen Foundation.  They'd send pink balloons, a closest to the pin prize (normally a very nice prize, golf shoes, putter etc),  breast cancer awareness totes, a year's subscription, at that time, to Golf For Women Magazine.  Now they do Bon Appetit, Golf World and a few other magazines. I'd also get the men involved by offering a closest to the pin prize for a minimum donation of $10.  I'd get somebody to donate something.  I even offered up a putter signed by some Senior PGA member.  I didn't have a clue who he was but the winner of the putter was delighted.  I'd print up little half sheet fliers that the starter would put on the carts and they'd tell the starter how much they wanted to contribute and they then would see it on their bill.  Or they could pay cash and get a receipt.  With this type of effort I would earn about $1500-$2000.  I did that for about 4 years and then tried to get someone else to take over because I was going to be president of our organization and didn't think I'd have the time.  No one wanted to until the last three years when a very dynamic young lady took charge of our Member Member and really got going with the charity.  A couple of things she did that added to the donation amount was ask someone to be our "donation" chair i.e. going out and asking businesses and individuals for raffle and auction items.  She also used Susan G. Komen.  Last year she raised a little over $4500 for the charity. I know that some golf club organizations throw elaborate dinners, auctions, 2 day couples' tournaments, etc. But we have a core group of about 30 that tends to do almost everything, so for us, this is a perfect way to support a charity.

As with most women our age, 40's+, breast cancer becomes common not an anomaly.  We also care more and more about how our donation money is being spent.  When we found out the Susan G. Komen Foundation was giving money to Planned Parenthood, we were perplexed.  Why them?  Well, it seems that they were giving them money for mammogram screening of which Planned Parenthood has very few locations that offers this exam.  Well, I'm back at it again and this year we have selected a non profit here in our city that has helped many of our association's members get through their crisis. They are a women's health care clinic devoted solely to a woman's  well being from diagnosis through post surgery care.  They specialize in the patient's physical health, emotional health, and offer much needed advice on exercise and nutrition.  Many of our member's have been through their programs.

Apparently we aren't the only organization that feels this way.  I know of at least two other women's golf associations donating to this same clinic.   No, we won't get the shoes or the magazine subscriptions but we will know where our money is going and we know it's helping ladies we know.