Press Releases

Golf Challenge Raises over $120,000 for Homeless

ORLANDO, Fla. — (June 8, 2008)—Twenty-seven golfers played for all they were worth on Friday, May 30th at the Doug Spencer 12th Annual Golf Challenge, raising over $120,000 to benefit Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida. The event took place at the Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge in Winter Garden. Golfers challenged each other for the most holes played in six hours and the most money collected for the Coalition. They raised a minimum of $2,500 each, with their donors pledging either a flat amount or on a per-hole basis.

Top fundraiser for the event was OUC Vice President of Customer Connections and former Coalition for the Homeless Board member Doug Spencer, who single-handedly raised $36,375 for his 98-hole afternoon. Doug thanked the contractors of the new OUC Administration Building for contributing $15,000 of his total as their "giveback" to the community. By day's end, Golf Channel Instructor Brad Brewer had topped the charts with 112 holes completed within the allotted time.

Other major fundraisers include John Martin, SI Goldman Company President/CEO; Trent Tatum, Kuykendall Gardner Insurance Vice President; Brad Brewer; and John Alvarez, Land Resource Executive Vice President and General Counsel. WKMG Channel 6 Sports Director David "Ping" Pingalore, who lent his on-air support to the event, was touted for his "longest drive" at the post-golf dinner and "skins" award presentations.

The Coalition for the Homeless is grateful to Golf Challenge Co-chairmen and Board Members Doug Spencer and John Alvarez, as well as the golfers, supporters, and prize donors for their commitment to supporting its case-managed programs and services which provide homeless men, women, children and families in Central Florida the tools to return to self-sufficiency.

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