Archive: Stories and images from Giving Back Week

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THE PLAYERS Championship contributes to a diverse group of charities throughout Northeast Florida, living by the PGA TOUR's mission to give back to the communities in which it plays. Since 1977, when THE PLAYERS moved to Ponte Vedra, more than $28 million has been contributed to Northeast Florida charities, ranging from health care to youth and education to human services. From Nov. 17-21, representatives from the PGA TOUR and THE PLAYERS Championship, along with several TOUR players, will visit different charitable organizations in Jacksonville as part of "Giving Back Week."

PHOTO GALLERY: Images from Giving Back Week

"Red Coat Ride Out"
Monday, Nov. 17, 2008

To showcase the community's support of First Coast charities, THE PLAYERS Championship Red Coats kicked off "Giving Back Week" by personally delivering nearly $200,000 in charitable giving, part of the record amount raised from this year's event. The past tournament chairmen led four teams of tournament volunteers, caddies, standard bearers and staff across the First Coast, announcing and presenting THE PLAYERS grants to 16 of the 94 charities benefiting from the 2008 PLAYERS. PGA TOUR player Frank Lickliter II rode along with Group B in the afternoon.
• View the complete story: Giving Back Week begins with multiple site visits


"Artful Swings"
Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008

PGA TOUR professional and 1988 PLAYERS Champion Mark McCumber and his family helped commemorate the start of "THE PLAYERS Free Tuesdays" with a splash at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. McCumber brought together the worlds of art and golf by hitting paint-soaked golf balls onto a canvas, which will be displayed at The Cummer and eventually auctioned off to charity. Dan Hicken (Sports Director, First Coast News), Sam Kouvaris (Sports Director, WJXT) and Brian Sexton (Sports Director, Fox-30/CBS-47) also participated in the "Artful Swings" event. In addition, the evening featured art activities and tours of the museum and gardens for the public.
• View the complete story: McCumber, others create painting with golf balls


"A Special Visit for Special Teachers"
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008

PGA TOUR professional Jim Furyk and his wife Tabitha Furyk made a surprise visit to North Shore K-8 MicroSociety School to pay tribute to the Teach For America teachers who are helping North Shore students succeed. North Shore, a state-of-the art school that opened in March after three neighboring schools were shut down and then combined, has benefited from 14 Teach For America corps members. Teach For America was brought to Jacksonville thanks in part to a multi-year commitment from THE PLAYERS. Furyk gave a brief talk to the entire fifth-grade class, answered questions and then took golf shots at targets to illustrate the challenge of working toward hitting your goals.
• View the complete story: Furyk goes back to school

"Community Health Fair"
Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008

As part of THE PLAYERS "Giving Back Week," 2009 PGA TOUR rookie and local resident Jeff Klauk and his wife Shanna Klauk helped highlight THE PLAYERS multi-year commitment to the new Beaches Community Healthcare Clinic, a Sulzbacher Center clinic, and also raised awareness of the community's need for food donations to BEAM (Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry), by participating in "THE PLAYERS Championship Community Health Fair." THE PLAYERS Community Health Fair, which features a variety of health screenings, free flu shots, nutritional information, dental hygiene supplies and much more, is targeted to the clients of BEAM -- the working poor and homeless population of the Beaches community -- who will become patients at the new clinic.
• View the complete story: Klauk pays a visit to the Community Healthcare clinic

"Virtual Challenge"
Friday, Nov. 21, 2008

The final Giving Back Week event highlighted THE PLAYERS' initial contribution of $300,000 to THE PLAYERS Community Senior Center, which helped fund construction of the building that opened in June 2007. PGA TOUR professional and 2005 PLAYERS Champion Fred Funk joined PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem for a friendly, video-game challenge against members of the Center. The participants dueled over the final four holes of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course on the Nintendo Wii version of EA's "Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09." Funk and Finchem also unveiled a new putting green for the Center's members, courtesy of THE PLAYERS. Some of the 1,200 Center members have volunteered at THE PLAYERS through the years, and THE PLAYERS continues to support the facility with funding from tournament proceeds, including monies raised during the 2008 event.
• View the complete story: Funk, Finchem square off in Wii competition