Charles Schwab Cup Championship

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ORGANIZATIONS receiving money from the 2008 Charles Schwab Cup Championship are pictured here: Chris Davis, Hanna Boys Center student; Carter Vose, Sonoma Junior Dragons; Kenneth Ramirez, Vineyard Worker Services; Anthony Garcia Black, Hanna Boys Center student; Larry Krieger, Boys and Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley; Laura Zimmerman, Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance; August Sebastiani, Sonoma City Council Member; Jason Zajonc, Sonoma Aquatics; Nancy Waarich Fishman, Presentation School; Lois McVeigh, Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation; Pat Pagnillo, The First Tee of Oakland; Val Verhunce, Sonoma State University; Dicksie Tamanaha, Sonoma County YMCA; Anna Pier, CommonBond Foundation; and (foreground) Leon Gilmore, 2009 Charles Schwab Cup Championship executive director. Robbi Pengelly/Index-

Fourteen area nonprofit organizations divvied up more than $400,000 from the Charles Schwab Cup Championship last fall.

This brings the total to more than $1.8 million since the tournament moved to Sonoma.

The organizations that benefited include, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Junior Dragons, CommonBond Foundation,  The Presentation School,  Hanna Boys Center, Sonoma Aquatics, Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation, Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, Sonoma State University, NCGA Foundation, Vineyard Workers Services, The First Tee of Oakland, Fairfield-Suisun Rotary and the Sonoma County YMCA.

The Champions Tour's road to the Charles Schwab Cup is a year-long points race that has been staged at the exclusive Sonoma Golf Club for six years. During that time, because of the support of Charles Schwab, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the corporate sponsors and the fans, the event has had an enormous positive impact on the county's economy.

"The PGA Tour as an organization, exists to create the highest competitive experience for our players and return the greatest amount of money to the communities where we stage our tournaments," said Leon Gilmore, executive director of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. "In what other job can you create an event for the best 30 professional golfers and individuals where thousands of people can enjoy, sun, wine and food and ultimately all of the proceeds go to help charity? That's what makes this job so incredible."

The Charles Schwab Cup will crown a season-long winner Oct. 27 through Nov. 1, at Sonoma Golf Club.

For additional information about volunteering or hospitality opportunities, visit www.charlesschwabcupchampionship.com  or call 939-4131.

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