Swing for a Cause!
Tee up and lend a hand to community charities
Every year, our area’s nine golf courses donate their greens to dozens of charity golf tournaments. Love the game and like the thought of helping out charitable organizations in the process? Take a swing at one of these events that mix golf and fundraising all for the love of community.
APRIL:
20 – St. Vincent Healthcare Marynell Herringer Memorial – Yellowstone Country Club
MAY:
6 – Stockman Bank Young Families/Early Head Start – Eaglerock Golf Course
9&10 – Senior Sports & Arts Festival – Lake Hills Golf Club
12 – First Tee Open – Lake Hills Golf Club
19 – Big Sky Bird & Birdie Charity – Eaglerock Golf Course
27 – Cole’s Western Wishes – Eaglerock Golf Course
JUNE:
2 – RiverStone Health Tournament – Laurel Golf Club
2 – Young Life – Eaglerock Golf Course
2 – Alberta Bair Theatre Classic – Lake Hills Golf Club
6 – Rally for the Cure – Laurel Golf Club
9 – Roberts Community Foundation – Peter Yegen Golf Course
16 – Landon’s Legacy Foundation – Peter Yegen Golf Course
19 – St. Vincent Healthcare Fortin Tournament– Yellowstone Country Club
23 – Big Brothers & Sisters – Eaglerock Golf Course
30 – Optimist Club – Pryor Creek Golf Club
JULY:
15 – Big Sky State Games Tournament – Peter Yegen Golf Course
22 – Phillips 66 Relay for Life Fundraiser – Pryor Creek Golf Club
22 – Pack the Course in Pink – Eaglerock Golf Course
24 – Ronald McDonald House – Yellowstone Country Club
29 – Children’s Tumor Foundation Benefit – Eaglerock Golf Course
AUGUST:
2 – Optimist Tri-Star Challenge – Par 3 Golf Course
4 – Ron Nistler Educators Memorial – Eaglerock Golf Course
7 – Wendy’s 16th Annual ‘A Waiting Child’ Golf Classic – Yellowstone Country Club
10 – Billings Symphony – Pryor Creek Golf Club
18 – Billings Clinic Women’s Classic – Laurel Golf Club
25 – Billings Clinic Men’s Classic – Briarwood Golf Club
26 – Boy Scouts – Pryor Creek Golf Club
SEPTEMBER:
1 – Boys & Girls Club – Yellowstone Country Club
15 – Habitat for Humanity – Pryor Creek Golf Club
15 – Eagle Mount Happy Caddie Cup – Lake Hills Golf Club
16 – Breakfast Exchange Club ‘Million Dollar Challenge’ – Par 3 Golf Course
Making a Difference One Tee at a Time
Wendy’s 16th Annual ‘A Waiting Child Golf Classic’
AUGUST 7, 2017
With more than $850,000 raised so far for Wendy’s Wonderful Kids and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, Wendy’s 16th annual ‘A Waiting Child Golf Classic’ takes to the course August 7 at Yellowstone Country Club. “All funds help Montana foster children find their forever families,” says Jonna Jones, director of marketing for Wentana.
The tournament helps to fund two full-time recruiters (one in Billings, one in Helena) for Wendy’s Wonderful Kids. These workers travel the state working with children that may be harder to place.
“The kids on our Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiters’ caseloads are kids who have often been forgotten about in the system,” says Jonna. “We work to make unadoptable unacceptable.” Jonna adds, “Children served by Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program are up to 300% more likely to get adopted. To date, more than 6,000 children have found their permanent homes with the help of Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiters.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please call Jonna Jones at 406-252-5125 or email at jjones@wenspok.com.
Yellowstone County Junior Golf
Yellowstone County Junior Golf celebrates its 35th season this year. Jackie Christiansen, daughter of Founders Nels and Katie Christiansen, now heads up the program. “I’m so proud to carry on Mom and Dad’s legacy,” says Jackie. “This program started in 1983 with 50 young would-be golfers and four golf courses involved.” The program now averages well over 200 kids each summer with all nine area courses participating.
The main focus of junior golf for kids ages 8 to 17 is to teach all aspects of the game. “We reinforce the rules, honesty, and integrity,” notes Jackie. “Leslie Spalding came through this program and many other pro golfers of Billings.”
Jackie mentions that area golf courses “donate their greens so these kids can practice and take part in tournaments.” The tourneys take place mostly on Mondays during June and July.
“Yellowstone County is one of the best for junior golf organizations,” affirms Yellowstone Country Club Golf Pro Bob Eames. He adds, “The golf course is the best place for a kid to be. He’ll get into no trouble!”
The Nels & Katie Christiansen Junior Golf Scholarship was established a little over a decade ago with two scholarships awarded each spring. A $1,000 college scholarship is awarded to one female golfer and $1,000 to one male golfer. It’s not a prerequisite to pursue golf in college. To date, Junior Golf has given $36,350 in scholarships to local students.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit yellowstonecountyjuniorgolf.com or call Jackie Christiansen at 406-671-5497.
