“Huge!!” is the only word out of the usually verbose Michael McFadden, co-founder of VacationHomesforCharity.org (VH4C). Nancy Progar, coordinator of VH4C added in more eloquent prose “To be honest, generating $50,000 from four events over a 5-day period was beyond our forecasts. Even in this period of economic uncertainty, those willing to assist will come to the aid of those in need.”
The four events generating $50,000 include:
Thursday & Friday, June 25th & 26th: 13th Annual Stars and Stripes Fishing, Golf and Music Festival, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico: “It’s about fishing, it’s about golf, it’s about music but mostly…IT’S ABOUT THE KIDS!” And this year the kids scored big. Stars and Stripes raised $1,500,000 for local southern California children’s charities. The event surpassed the million dollar mark for the third straight year and gave more than a dozen underprivileged youth an unforgettable experience! This “Feel Good” Tournament benefits multiple charities including: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, Orangewood Children’s Foundation, Freedom Writers Foundation and Boy Scouts of America/LA and Operation Homefront. Thanks to Jorge Retana and John Powers for their donation of Casa Ramon, an exclusive private villa in Costa Rica.
Friday, June 26th: The Carson Palmer Open, Monarch Beach Golf Links, Dana Point, CA:
For 6 years, the Carson Palmer Open has provided hope to severely abused and neglected children in Orange County. Professional athletes, celebrities, and influential members of the community gather each year to raise funds for the Hillview Acres Children’s Home. Past celebrities to play in the tournament have included:
Carson Palmer, Jordan Palmer, Richie Incognito, Ryan Powdrell, John Lynch, Oscar Lua, Matt Cassel, Mike Sherrard, Jared Allen, John David Booty, Todd Lyght, DeShaun Foster, Todd Steussie, Ken O’Brien, Kenny Watson, Matt Schaub, Andre Reed, Keary Kolbert, Shayne Graham, Frostee Rucker, Matt McCoy, Jonathan Ogden, Todd Heap, Brandon Jacobs, Johnnie Lee Higgins, Eric Dickerson, Tab Perry, Rudi Johnson, AJ Feeley, Kyle Boller, Rod Carew, Dallas Sartz and Ron Yary.
Held at the prestigious Monarch Beach Golf Links, the tournament featured a full day of golf hosted by Carson Palmer, professional athletes, games, food and beverages, and prizes. Golfers and celebrities at the post-tournament enjoyed a cocktail reception featuring live and silent auction items including memorabilia, vacation packages, and other luxury items. The Vacation Homes for Charity home at Fox Valley in the beautiful Colorado Rockies, sold in the live auction: Luxury Vacation Rental In Silverthorne, CO. Thanks to Eagle Custom Builders for this luxury mountain vacation donation.
Saturday, June 27th: The Rolling Hills Country Club Foundation
Under a star-lit sky, Rolling Hills Country Club (the only country club in the State of Colorado with its own charitable foundation) held their annual gala benefiting The Golden Rotary Foundation. The event theme, “The Universe of Sharing” provided guests the opportunity to bid on auction items on every planet in the universe.
The silent and live auctions were exciting with the silent auction utilizing new “out of this world” technology allowing automatic bidding on electronic tablets providing quick check-outs at the end of the night. The live auction generated buzz in the room and brought folks in from the patio to bid on trips, on our planet and diamonds formed from the beginning days of the universe.
Casa Santa Rosa in La Quinta, CA donated by Desert Luxury Vacations and facilitated by The Vacation Homes for Charity sold quickly. This beautiful home near the Santa Rosa mountains will delight the high bidder.Thank you Desert Luxury Vacations for sharing their home.
Monday, June 29th: Buffs 4 Life Foundation’s Celebrity Golf Tournament: The Buffs 4 Life Foundation is a partnership of former University Of Colorado athletes and business leaders in the greater Denver area. They held their celebrity tourney at the Omni Interlocken Golf Resort which featured 27 holes of championship golf with scenic views of the Flatirons for the entire day. Each foursome was paired with a former CU Football player and or coach which amounted to approximately 270 players.
The Grand Prizes were awarded following The Ultimate Putt Competition included:
The 1st place prize was a 7-night stay in Costa Rica at the Casa de Golf(http://thesociety.com/vacation+rental/23003), one of the finest and most luxurious vacation homes in the country. With 8 bedrooms sleeping 16+ in comfort, the winner will no doubt have family and newfound friends contacting them for this spectacular golf getaway.
The 2nd prize, closer to home, was a one-week stay at a beautiful Grand Park (www.GrandParkCo.com) mountain chalet within the Arapaho National Forest on the edge of Winter Park surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Continental Divide. Thank you to Bryant Martin for the Casa de Golf donation and Kirsten Laraby and Cornerstone Holdings for their Winter Park donation.