St Petersburg, Florida (PRWEB) March 03, 2012
On Thursday, November 3rd, 2011, the Isla del Sol Yacht & Country Club hosted a charity golf tournament to benefit the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (?SOWF?). The field of thirty-nine foursomes was primarily made up of strong support from Isla del Sol club members. Also in the field were company-sponsored teams from the Loews Don Cesar Resort, Alcatel-Lucent, Ricoh Business Solutions, Manheim Auctions, American Strategic Insurance and Ferman Acura Mazda Tampa. The Ferman team placed first overall in this inaugural tournament. Following the golf tournament, 250 people enjoyed a full night?s activities emceed by Dick Crippen, Executive Director of Community Development for the Tampa Bay Rays. The event included numerous raffle prizes, 51 silent auction items and seven live auction items. Isla del Sol is very grateful to the local businesses, club suppliers and club members who donated to this cause. The total amount raised for the foundation was $ 54,000. Steve Riordan, Chairman of the Tournament Committee, stated ?We far exceeded our initial estimate of proceeds to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation for this first-year event. The support and generosity from our members and supporters was truly inspiring.?
An emotional speech was given by SOWF scholarship recipient Melinda Petrignani, who lost her father, Army Ranger Specialist Michael Rudess, when she was 8 months old. She described how grateful she is to have had the opportunity to attend college.
?It is heart-warming when a community gets together to make a difference,? said John T. Carney, Jr., SOWF President. ?The funds raised at this event will provide college educations to children of fallen special operations warriors and also serve as a reminder that their fallen parent?s sacrifice will never be forgotten.?
About Special Operations Warrior Foundation
Since 1980, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation?s programs have supported America?s Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations personnel. Their programs provide full college grants for the surviving children?s college educations and also provide immediate financial assistance to the families of severely wounded special operations warriors. For the past six years, SOWF has received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a leading non-profit watchdog group. For more information, visit http://www.specialops.org.
About Isla del Sol Yacht & Country Club
Isla del Sol Yacht & Country Club is a private, member-owned club nestled between the southern tip of St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach, just north of Tierra Verde. Isla del Sol, the official country club of the world famous Don Cesar Resort, includes a par-71 championship golf course, a 75-slip marina, 9 Har-Tru tennis courts and world-class dining and events facility. For the past 20 years, the club has supported the St Petersburg Free Clinic and the Daystar Life Center through its ?Play for Hunger? events each February raising over $ 1.3 million. For more information, visit http://www.isladelsolycc.com
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