Walmart Distribution Center Golf Tournament Raises Over $50,000 for Children’s Hospital Colorado
When thinking of typical fundraising partners in the corporate world, one particular branch of business is often overlooked: the distribution centers.
Based on the colossal volume of staff and square footage of each facility, it makes sense that they have the resources to become one of the highest fundraising partners in the philanthropic world. The Walmart Distribution Center in Loveland, Colorado proves these things to be true.
Bill Hornick, the General Manager at the Loveland Walmart D.C., has been implementing Children’s Miracle Network fundraising programs of all kinds in his building for years. (See examples here.) One of the biggest single-day fundraisers for the D.C. is the annual Children’s Miracle Network Golf Tournament. This tournament, held at the Mariana Butte Golf Course in Loveland, has been raising money for Children’s Hospital Colorado for over 15 years.
Over time, this tournament has grown so immensely that it now hosts two separate shotgun starts; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The sold-out foursomes fill the carts, parked back-to-back-to-back, at 6:30am, and again at 1:30pm. Hornick explains, “In my 14 years in Colorado I have done 16 golf tournaments. The first two years we did a Spring and Fall tournament that were much smaller. In 2007 I decided to partner with Mariana Butte Golf Course and only do the one tournament around Memorial Day. The tournament just took off from a standpoint of hole sponsors and golfers. The course has been so cooperative to let me do about anything I want to be able to open the day to as many as 300 golfers.”
Colorado Children’s Miracle Network Champion child Maelle attended the 2019 event. She told her story to the second round of golfers just before their shotgun start to inspire a stronger connection to the cause. She then worked her way around the course and talked with the golfers individually to thank them and collect any additional donations. “Coordinating the presence of the Champion Child has been an inspiring addition to the tournament each year!” says Hornick.
After beautiful day on the course with over 300 golfers, a silent auction, and an inspiring Champion child to r
epresent the cause, the Walmart Distribution Center Golf Tournament raised over $50,000 – a record-high in the tournament’s history.
“In my career, I have been involved in over 30 golf tournaments in the four communities I’ve lived and worked in. [This golf tournament] is a huge collaboration of some 70 managers at the DC putting in their time to entice and gather the sponsors and the golfers to make for an amazing Monday in June.”