Charitable Giving Program Extends Shared PGA TOUR and Astellas Commitment to Supporting Local Communities
Irving, Texas – The PGA TOUR’s AT&T Byron Nelson has raised more than $143 million for local charities since its inception in 1968. Now, fans can contribute to the charitable giving at the AT&T Byron Nelson by participating in the PGA TOUR Volunteer Challenge, sponsored by Myrbetriq® (mirabegron). This “vote-for-me” competition is designed to raise funds for charity while recognizing the talent, passion and commitment of the TOUR’s more than 100,000 tournament volunteers nationwide including more than 1,000 from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, who have helped the TOUR achieve more than $2.14 billion in charitable giving.
The AT&T Byron Nelson will take place from May 16 – 22, 2016, at TPC Four Seasons Resort and Club Las Colinas in Irving, Texas. All proceeds from the tournament go to Momentous Institute, the nonprofit owned and operated by Salesmanship Club of Dallas.
From now until 1 p.m. CT on Saturday of tournament week (May 21), fans are encouraged to visit www.PGATOUR.com/Volunteers and vote for their favorite AT&T Byron Nelson volunteer. At the end of the voting period, the volunteer with the most votes will have the opportunity to present a $10,000 check in his or her name to the winner’s charity of choice from a list provided by the tournament. In addition, top-ranking tournaments have the ability to earn additional charitable funding based on the total number of votes earned collectively by volunteers and the tournament.
“The PGA TOUR Volunteer Challenge is a fun way to raise funds for charity and honor the contributions of the hundreds of TOUR volunteers who annually donate their time to help orchestrate the AT&T Byron Nelson each year,” said Tournament Chairman Tim Marron. “We encourage our volunteers to participate in this worthwhile program, and ask their friends, family members and co-workers to visit the website to vote.”
Among those participating in the PGA TOUR Volunteer Challenge is Sherryl Thomas, a Dallas resident who is celebrating her 37th year volunteering at the tournament. “I volunteer because it’s a meaningful way to experience the tournament and get an up-close and personal look at professional golf. If I win the Volunteer Challenge, it will be extremely rewarding to help make a difference for children and families served through Momentous Institute,” said Thomas.
The PGA TOUR Volunteer Challenge will continue at 16 tournaments during the 2016 PGA TOUR season and build upon more than $1 million donated by sponsor Astellas to tournament charities over the course of the partnership.
“Astellas is proud to partner with the PGA TOUR as both organizations share a deep commitment to the power of volunteerism,” said Walt Johnston, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing, Urology and Hospital, Astellas Pharma US, Inc.“ We are honored to be part of the PGA TOUR’s philanthropic legacy by collaborating on this unique opportunity to give back to the communities where we work and live.”
The AT&T Byron Nelson features 156 of the world’s best professional golfers competing for 500 FedEx Cup points and a purse of $7.3 million. To learn more about the PGA TOUR Volunteer Challenge and to register to participate as a volunteer or supporter, visit www.PGATOUR.com/Volunteers.
About the AT&T Byron Nelson
The AT&T Byron Nelson is hosted by the Salesmanship Club of Dallas and has been a premier PGA TOUR event for over 45 years. The tournament has raised more than $143 million since its inception in 1968, making it the most financially successful charity event on the PGA TOUR. All proceeds benefit Momentous Institute, the nonprofit operated by the Salesmanship Club for over 95 years. The organization serves nearly 7,000 kids and family members directly each year through research and training, mental health and education programs. The AT&T Byron Nelson is one of North Texas’ biggest sports attractions and most anticipated social events of the spring.
About PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is the world’s premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, co-sanctioning more than 130 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, Web.com Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR China.
The PGA TOUR’s mission is to entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and economic impact in the communities in which it plays, and provide financial opportunities for TOUR players.
Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to more than 1 billion households in 225 countries and territories in 32 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations in order to maximize charitable giving. In 2014, tournaments across all Tours generated more than $140 million for local and national charitable organizations and in early 2014 the TOUR’s all-time charitable contributions surpassed $2 billion.
The PGA TOUR’s web site is PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
About Astellas
Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. For more information on Astellas, please visit our website at www.astellas.us. You can also follow us on Twitter at @AstellasUS, Facebook at www.facebook.com/AstellasUS or LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/astellas-pharma.
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Contacts: Beth Richman
Wellspring Communications, Inc.
773-252-3069 (o)
312-806-8999 (c)
Meagan Abendschein
mabendschein@salesmanshipclub.org
214-915-4784 (o)
512-423-5888 (c)
