There are many good reasons for the charity-minded golfer to choose The Legends tournament:
With a minimum per-player entry of $1,250 and sold-out with a waiting list crowd, it raises a lot of money for Volunteers of America; it’s played at Sanctuary, one of the nation’s most beautiful, challenging and exclusive courses; and one lucky foursome will include a big name from the world of baseball.
Baseball?
Major league baseball likes Volunteers of America, and every year since its start nine years ago, the Colorado Rockies Charity Fund has helped pave the way for VOA to have a special guest. This year’s VIP was 1994 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Steve Carlton, who attended both the tournament and the Players Party that’s held the night before at the Denver ChopHouse.
Carlton, the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards and the last National League pitcher to win 25 or more games in one season, didn’t have as far to come as last year’s guest, former Rockies first baseman Andres Galarraga, who lives in Florida. Carlton lives in Durango, where he says he is content to grow spinach and “live totally in the present, not the past.”
The left-hander sure could pitch, but what about his golfing skills?
“I’ve played in tournaments before, and it wasn’t pretty,” Carlton said.
The 2011 tournament was organized by CoBiz Insurance chairman and VOA board member John Milek; Lee Earnhart, owner of Chambers Wine and Liquors; and Gregg Stiff, national sales manager for the J.M. Smucker Co.
Earnhart is one of VOA’s most dedicated fundraisers. He raised $5,000 for the charity by getting friends to donate in honor of the annual bicycle ride he makes from Denver to Lake Powell. He netted an additional $5,000 by inviting customers to take their best shot at dropping him into a dunk tank during a Fourth of July promotion at his liquor store.
Tournament coordinator Denise Robert said this was the second consecutive sellout for The Legends. “Even with adding an extra foursome, we still had a waiting list. We are so appreciative to (Re/Max founders) Dave and Gail Liniger for making Sanctuary available to us. Every golfer wants to play there, but not everyone can.”
Those at the Players Party included Jane McAtee of Southwest Airlines; CoBiz chief operating officer Richard Dalton; Thom White of Rocky Mountain Bottle Co.; Mike Passmore; Linda and T Tafoya; Jane Prancan; Ron Hall of K-M Concessions; Integer Group chairman Jeremy Pagden; and VOA-Colorado president Dianna Kunz.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, and GetItWrite on Twitter
Award established in founder’s honor
The nonprofit Allied Jewish Apartments, three high-rise apartments in the heart of Cherry Creek that provide affordable, independent- and assisted-living homes to 400-plus older adults, marked its 40th anniversary by establishing an award named for one of AJA’s founders, Elaine Wolf. The Elaine Wolf L’Dor V’Dor (From Generation to Generation) Award will be presented annually to an individual who, like its namesake, has made a significant contribution to the welfare of older adults. Wolf was the first recipient.
