General Information
Will Golf 4 Kids is an annual two-day golf tournament founded in 1993 by Walmart to benefit Arkansas Children's Hospital, a proud member of Children's Miracle Network. In 1998, the tournament was turned over to the supplier community without a direct link to Walmart. In 2007, Mars Inc. became the presenting sponsor of the event. Mike Sewell, Pharmavite, and Kyden Reeh, Bayer, are Co-Chairs of Operations, and Lori and Steve Collins, MARS US, are Co-Chairs of the Color of Hope Gala.
The combined events achieved record-breaking success in 2011 - raising more than $920,000 in net proceeds for Arkansas Children's Hospital. In its 19 years of existence, the event has contributed more than $10.5 million to ACH.
Both the golf tournament and charity gala are organized by a volunteer committee of Walmart vendors and suppliers and other community leaders.
Last year, more than 1,100 golfers participated in the 18th annual Will Golf 4 Kids. The tournament, which spanned two days, was held at the Kingsdale Golf Complex in Bella Vista. The complex has two 18-hole courses - Berksdale and Kingswood. The tournament format is a four-person scramble, consisting of one round of 18 holes of play, with morning and afternoon flights both days (7 a.m. and 1 p.m.)
On Friday evening, the Color of Hope Charity Gala will take place at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers and will feature a three-course dinner with live and silent auctions, as well as live music and dancing. 1,200 guests are expected to attend.
The color-themed Gala features both live and silent auctions, with many one-of-a-kind items, including once-in-a-lifetime trips and experiences. The 2011 Live Auction included a fabulous golf trip to St. Andrews in Scotland, a trip and tickets to the premiere of George Clooney's latest movie, The Ides of March, and much-sought-after tickets to the 2012 Superbowl.
Other highlights of the Gala include the Hopetini, a specialty drink for the evening created and sponsored by Ruth's Chris Steak House, and of course, a "candy bar" sponsored by MARS US, featuring pounds of various MARS candies in the appropriate color of the year. The Color of Hope for 2012 was voted to be GREEN!
WILL GOLF 4 KIDS FUNDING DESIGNATIONS
1999 - Expansion of fourth floor Research Institute
2000 - Vascular Anomalies Research
2001 - $580,650 - CT Scanner
2002 - $603,650 - Expansion of the Hospital's Main Lobby
2003 - $604,700 - Purchase of new, state-of-the art NICU Monitors
2004 - $528,500 - Transportation Endowment
2005 - $582,900 - Purchase of much-needed OR Anesthesia Monitors
2006 - $551,500 - Transportation Endowment
2007 - $611,000 - Transportation Endowment
2008 - $617,250 - for designations outlined below.
2009 - $619,000 - for designations outlined below.
2010 - $800,000 - for designations outlined below.
2011 - $920,000 - for designations outlined below.
Proceeds from the 2008-2011 events will help the sickest children statewide through the allocation of funds to the construction and expansion of the Neonatal and Cardiovascular Intensive Care units at the Arkansas Children's Hospital campus in Little Rock. Children locally will also be served through support of the Centers for Children in Lowell.
Arkansas Children's Hospital