17th Annual Hope Fore Kids Golf Classic a Soggy Success
Rain and lightning couldn’t dampen the spirits of the more than 120 golfers who participated in The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division’s 17th annual Hope Fore Kids Golf Classic last week. Despite two weather delays, golfers took part in a golf clinic, silent auction, contests for feats such as the straightest and longest drives, a meal, reception, and as much golfing at Mother Nature would allow.
Held at The Glen Club in Glenview, Illinois, the Hope Fore Kids Golf Classic drew Salvation Army friends old and new to support our youth programs throughout the greater Chicagoland area, including camp, after-school programs, music education, and shelter for families in crisis.
When registering, golfers got the opportunity to sponsor a child for camp for $120. “We take kids from inner-city Chicago and the suburbs who aren’t used to wide open spaces, grass and fresh air, and we take them up to our camp just outside Illinois into Wisconsin,” said Captain Heather Montenegro, the Divisional Youth Secretary. “We take them out there for several days and they get to do things like swimming and archery and high-ropes courses, things that they don’t normally get to do down in the city. I like to say we are changing kids’ lives one camp at a time.”
When Lt. Colonel Lonneal Richardson addressed the golfers at lunch, he told them, “Your generosity will enable us to touch thousands of lives.” Referencing The Salvation Army’s motto and thanking our golfers and sponsors for their support, he said,” Doing the Most Good means finding ways to interject good in the lives of those who are hurting.”
In order to interject that good, golf outing organizers set the goal of raising $250,000 through the registrations, camp sponsorships, and silent auction bids. The latter included items such as a Lake Geneva getaway, a 30-minute meet-and-greet with NBC5 television news personalities, tickets to see the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Fire, even vacations to Cabo San Lucas, Riviera Maya, and the famed St. Andrews golf course in Scotland.
By the end of the soggy day, that fundraising goal was exceeded thanks to our generous sponsors and golfers. “This fundraiser is all about supporting our kids by raising money for them to be able to do programs and participate in things that maybe their family couldn’t traditionally pay for them to do,” said Captain Heather. Considering the tough past couple years our area youth have had, with remote learning and sheltering in place, the support from this year’s outing is all the more needed and meaningful.
See more photos from our golf outing