La Sierra University golf tourney aims to aid soccer field

The La Sierra University golf team will take to the green on May 3, at Hidden Valley Golf Course in Corona, aiming to raise money for the renovation of La Sierra University's soccer fields.

La Sierra's team will play along with about 25 other teams from businesses and organizations around the Inland Empire in the first of five tournaments organized collectively as the Fore Charity Challenge. Each team in La Sierra's tournament is sponsored by local businesses that each posted entrance fees of at least $1,000. Thus far, the field includes teams from Wells Fargo, Tilden Coil, AT&T, Gately Sorensen Co. Inc., Intelinet Inc., Provider Food Services and Clayson, Mann, Yaeger & Hansen, LLC.

The tournaments are scheduled through November and each will benefit a local nonprofit. The team with the best average score overall will receive a trophy. “It creates a competitive element that's fun,” said Tim Evans, executive director of development at La Sierra.

Evans brainstormed the charity challenge as a way for several entities to raise funds together rather than rely on isolated efforts. In addition to the May 3 event, three tournaments are scheduled and one will be announced at a later date. A tournament will be held on June 4 at Hidden Valley Golf Course to benefit The Foundation for Community and Family Health. A Sept. 13 tournament at Canyon Crest Country Club in Riverside will aid the Parkview Community Hospital Foundation and a Nov. 15 tournament at the Victoria Club in Riverside will benefit The Arlington Kiwanis Club and The Unforgettables Foundation. The latter nonprofit, founded by Evans 11 years ago, helps low income families handle the burden of burial costs for children.

The fifth tournament will aid SmartRiverside, an entity whose goals include increasing technology literacy among the city's residents, providing free wireless Internet access and attracting high tech companies.

In addition to entrance fees, the nonprofits may derive funds from T-sign sponsorships, which are business advertisements posted at golf course holes, and through silent auctions.

Riverside-based Inland Empire Magazine printed a full-page advertisement at no cost in its April issue promoting the Fore Charity Challenge. “Inland Empire Magazine always tries to help support local charitable events,” said magazine co-owner Brenda Lorenzi.

The publication typically posts charitable events in calendar sections or runs advertisements when space is available. Because the golf challenge involves several charities the magazine allocated a full-page space rather than the usual quarter-page size, she said. “Our readers are golf-oriented and charitable,” so the Fore Charity Challenge fits the interests of the magazine's audience, said Lorenzi.

PR Contact: Larry Becker
Executive Director of University Relations
La Sierra University
Riverside, California
951.785.2460 (voice)