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 vendor and supplier community without a direct link to Walmart. Mike White, First Quality Hygenics, is tournament chair. Mike Sewell, Pharmavite, is Co-Chair of Operations, and Steve Collins, MARS US, is Co-Chair of the Color of Hope Charity Gala.
In 2009, the Will Golf 4 Kids tournament and Color of Hope Charity Gala raised more money than ever before – more than $770,000.
Both the golf tournament and charity gala are organized by a volunteer committee of Walmart vendors and suppliers and other community leaders. In 2009, more than 1,200 golfers participated in the 16th annual Will Golf 4 Kids. The tournament, which spanned two days, was held at the Kingsdale Golf Complex in Bella Vista.
2009 was a year of growth for the second annual Color of Hope Charity Gala. Raising attendance from 600 last year to 900 was an important part of the event’s success.
The purple-themed Color of Hope Gala featured both live and silent auctions, with many one-of-a-kind items, including a Major League Baseball experience, a trip to the Canadian Rockies, tickets to the 2009 Emmy Awards and much sought-after tickets to the 2010 Superbowl. The Color of Hope Challenge, during which all event attendees were invited to pledge their immediate support to purchase a high-tech isolette, for the ACH Angel One helicopters, was a success, raising more than $58,000, $10,000 of which came from a match by MARS.
A buffet bar of chocolate goodies was rolled out for dessert, and event patrons were invited to enjoy pounds of purple M&Ms in every shape, flavor and size imaginable, courtesy of MARS US. Ruth Chris Steakhouse created a specialty drink for the evening, the Hopetini, and Rick’s Bakery provided purple cupcakes for everyone to enjoy.
2010 Events
The golf tournament is open to the Walmart vendor and supplier community, Walmart associates, local business and individuals. The golf tournament is held in Bella Vista, AR and is scheduled for Thursday, August 12 and Friday, August 13, 2010.
The tournament format is a 4 person scramble, consisting of one round of 18 holes of play. Two courses are used, Berksdale and Kingswood. There is a morning and afternoon flight on both days (7 am and 1pm).
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. More than 1,200 guests are expected to attend and the live auction is one to watch for.
WILL GOLF 4 KIDS FUNDING DESIGNATIONS
1999 – Expansion of fourth floor Research Institute
2000 – Vascular Anomalies Research
2001 – $580,662 - CT Scanner
2002 – $603,649 – Expansion of the Hospital’s Main Lobby
2003 – $604,706 – Purchase of new, state-of-the art NICU Monitors
2004 - $528,578 - Transportation Endowment
2005 – $580,323 – Purchase of much-needed OR Anesthesia Monitors
2006 – $551,509 - Transportation Endowment
2007 – $611,000 –Transportation Endowment
2008 – $715,000 - Equipment for the Center for Children at Lowell and Intensive Care Services at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital campus in Little Rock
2009 - $770,000 for designations explained below.
Proceeds from the 2009 and 2010 events will help children locally through the support of Natural Wonders outreach initiatives (Mobile Dental and Health Literacy as two examples) and the Centers for Children in Lowell. Proceeds will also 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.