Sony Open in Hawaii Charity

2012 Sony Open in Hawaii Golf Tournament Raises $1 Million for Local Charities

June 21, 2012 HONOLULU, HAWAII - Community leaders and representatives from various charity beneficiaries gathered today at Waialae Country Club to celebrate the success of the 2012 Sony Open PGA TOUR golf tournament, which enabled tournament charity host, Friends of Hawaii Charities, Inc., to distribute $1,000,000 in charitable grants this year to over 150 Hawaii not-for-profit organizations. The record numbers of grant recipients operate programs which serve Hawaii's children, women, elderly and its impoverished. The Sony Open "Drive to a $Million" charity effort was supplemented by The Friends Club membership donations, and the million-dollar goal was achieved because of the significant and longtime charity partnership of The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc., which matched funds raised at the event dollar-for-dollar. "We were able to reach our million-dollar goal thanks to the generous support of event title sponsor Sony Corporation, our loyal charity partner, The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc., and our valuable golf tournament sponsors, Friends Club members and thousands of volunteers," said Corbett Kalama, President of Friends of Hawaii Charities and Chairman of the Grants Committee. "The Sony Open is much more than a golf tournament. It is an opportunity for kamaaina in Hawaii and visitors from around the world to positively impact thousands of lives throughout our islands, providing kokua where needs are great and resources limited, to the programs like these charity beneficiaries today that selflessly serve the people of Hawaii nei." The Sony Open beneficiary grants program began in 1999 when Friends of Hawaii Charities distributed $256,000 to 43 charities. This week, the organization celebrates eight consecutive tournament seasons of distributing $1 million each year to Hawaii charities, with over $12 million raised and distributed to over 350 charities over the tournament's 14-year history. Charity grant recipients represent a broad spectrum within the state's not-for-profit community, encompassing established as well as grass-roots services ranging from basic needs and health care, to culture and education programs directed toward fulfilling the mission of Friends of Hawaii Charities to mobilize resources for assisting women, children, the elderly and those in need. The next Sony Open in Hawaii PGA TOUR tournament is scheduled January 7 - 13, 2013 at Waialae Country Club. With a two-shot lead, Johnson Wagner finished at 13-under 267 to earn the 2012 Sony Open champion's trophy and his 3rd career PGA TOUR victory. He will defend his title in the one-week event that consistently draws an elite field of international professionals and showcases Hawaii to a global television audience in more than 450 million homes across 200 countries. For more information about the Sony Open, please visit www. sonyopeninhawaii.com. Friends of Hawaii Charities, a federal 501 (c) (3) public charity is an all-volunteer organization, incorporated in 1998 to benefit not-for-profit organizations serving Hawaii's children, youth, women and needy. Over the past fourteen years, Friends of Hawaii Charities, Inc., with Sony Open charity partner, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc., raised more than $12,000,000, which has been distributed to over 350 Hawaii not-for-profit organizations. For more information, please call (808) 792-9339 or visit www.friendsofhawaii.org # # # #