Pro Kids | First Tee San Diego Women’s Golf Tournament
Raising Money and Awareness for Underprivileged Kids Program
Carini Heating, Air and Plumbing named as Presenting Sponsor
San Diego, CA – Pro Kids | The First Tee San Diego will hold its first Women’s Golf Tournament at the Colina Park Golf Course in City Heights, Saturday, December 10 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The tournament proceeds will go 100% to supporting the non-profit’s mission of providing a safe haven for underprivileged kids in the community, through the game of golf and a variety of character building, leadership and academic skill activites for kids age 7 to 17.
“Golf is the hook. Education is the pay-off,” according to the late Ernie Wright, a former NFL Charger and founder of Pro Kids | The First Tee San Diego. This is just one of many motivational sayings Wright used with the kids and donors that helped him start this innovative program in 1994. The program is headquartered at the Colina Park Golf Course with a North County branch near the Oceanside Municipal Golf Course. Young people are recruited to Pro Kids | The First Tee to learn the game of golf, but in the process, receive academic assistance and are required to actively participate in the organization’s Academy. At the Academy, students must enroll for full-year increments, and commit to attending at least two days of afterschool classes per week. The First Tee facility also gives the kids a safe haven to hang out after school in neighborhoods that can be dangerous.
“The Women’s Tournament is a fun and high profile event, which give us another opportunity to introduce more people to the great work that is being done here. Everyday we are inspired by the growth we see in the children participating in our program,” said Andrew Holets, CEO of Pro Kids | The First Tee San Diego. “They are developing so much more than golf skills. Their grades are improving and their confidence is growing as they progress through the steps of the First Tee program.”
Carini Heating, Air and Plumbing is the presenting sponsor for the Women’s Golf Tournament, and is underwriting a variety of expenses and helping to market the event to players and potential organization donors. Company CEO and Founder Gabriel Carini learned of the Pro Kids/The First Tee San Diego program while golfing in a tournament that had a number of First Tee kids participating. “I was so impressed with the maturity and talent of the kids I met from the program, and they really turned me into a supporter by the end of the tournament,” Carini said. “We love that the program stresses both life and academic skills, while using the game of golf to teach concepts such as patience, persistence, honesty and teamwork.”
There are still a few tournament slots open for singles or foursomes. Details are available at thefirstteesandiego.org, or by calling (619) 582-7884
The 18-hole, par-3 course will feature special fun-challenge holes sponsored by Srixon/Cleveland Golf, Innova Disc Golf and Suja Juice, to name a few. A few hole sponsorships are still available.
About Pro Kids | The First Tee San Diego: Founded in 1994 by former NFL player Ernie Wright, Pro Kids’ mission is to challenge underserved youth to excel in life by promoting character development, life skills, and values through education and the game of golf. Pro Kids serves more than 1,200 youth ages 7-17 each year at campuses in City Heights and Oceanside.
About Carini Heating, Air and Plumbing: Founded in 2005, Carini is a leading San Diego Heating and Air Conditioning company that specializes in high energy efficient ductless mini split technologies. The company believes in the importance of helping under privileged children gain access to high quality educational, athletic and character building opportunities.
For more information, contact Pro Kids | The First Tee San Diego, 4085 52nd Street, San Diego, CA 92105; 619-582-7884; https://www.thefirstteesandiego.org/.
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