Long-Standing Golf Fundraiser Invites Tucson Community to Play Yellow for Kids in October
The Hook-N-Slice golf tournament is a longstanding tradition, raising millions of dollars to support Tucson Medical Center for Children (TMC for Children) over the last three decades. Now in its 31st year, the two-day event will be held October 1st and 3rd at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson. Over its long history, the tournament has strengthened the connection between the hospital and the surrounding community, as evidenced by an outpouring of support that looks to make this year’s event bigger than ever.
Supporting Local Kids Through Golf
TMC for Children is focused entirely on caring for sick and injured children and their families. As Southern Arizona’s Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospital, TMC for Children strives to deliver the best care possible for children, from its comfortable, child-centered facilities to a dedicated team of expert pediatric caregivers.
The TMC Foundation supports the charitable mission of TMC HealthCare to improve the health and quality of life of its community. The Foundation’s primary function is to raise money for TMC HealthCare as a whole, partnering with CMN Hospitals to bring in funds specifically for TMC for Children.
The Hook-N-Slice golf tournament is fueled by an outpouring of support from the community. Megan Bucnis, Donor Relations and Events Manager at the TMC Foundation, explains that the Hook-N-Slice event has grown over time from a one-day standalone tournament into a combined corporate outing before further evolving into a two-day weekend event for the first time in 2021.
“We want to bring people together to have fun, make connections, and raise as much money as possible to support TMC for Children,” she says. All proceeds from the golf tournament go to TMC for Children, providing funds for necessary equipment, treatments, and programs, like scholarships for therapy sessions, child-friendly surgery prep videos, the TMC for Children mobile app, an in-patient therapies gym, and non-invasive testing equipment.
“We want to bring people together to have fun, make connections, and raise as much money as possible to support TMC for Children.”
“Like all CMN Hospital fundraisers, all dollars stay local to help kids in our local community,” says Bruce Ayers, CMN Development Manager at the TMC Foundation.
In 2019, the event raised over $52,000. After being forced to cancel in 2020 due to a surge in COVID-19 cases at TMC, Bruce and Megan are excited to get back to golf in 2021. This year’s two-day event is expected to attract over 300 players, along with a number of dedicated community sponsors. “Golf has been so popular over the last year that people are really excited to get back out there and support TMC for Children through golf,” says Megan.
“Golf has been so popular over the last year that people are really excited to get back out there and support TMC for Children through golf.”
Community Support
The support of the area community has been vital to the Foundation and TMC for Children, which emphasizes strong partnerships with businesses, corporations, and individual supporters. “We have dedicated sponsors who want to support these kids year after year. It means a lot to them and to us,” says Bruce.
“We kick off our fall event lineup with the golf tournament,” says Megan, noting that fall is peak time for fundraising events, with the golf tournament followed by a gala and radiothon in subsequent months. “We’re excited for this fall’s fundraising events, particularly this year since we had to pivot nearly everything to virtual in 2020,” she says. Beyond the annual golf tournament and other event-based fundraisers, the TMC Foundation raises money throughout the year in TMC for Children in partnership with CMN Hospitals, including corporate partner support, workplace campaigns, and round up campaigns.
In 2021, the planning team has been very intentional about connecting the golf tournament to CMN Hospitals as a Play Yellow event. “Being able to tap into the power of Play Yellow and the connection to Jack and Barbara Nicklaus is huge,” Megan says. “Play Yellow is an easy way to show what we’re working towards and who we’re supporting through this golf event.”
“Being able to tap into the power of Play Yellow and the connection to Jack and Barbara Nicklaus is huge!”
Incorporating Technology
As the official technology and golf event management partner for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals golf fundraisers, GolfStatus worked with Bruce, Megan, and the planning team to build an event registration website for the Hook-N-Slice event, thanks to the pledged support of longtime Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals partner Marriott Vacations Worldwide. “We’ve started sharing the website broadly to attract the most people possible to the golf tournament,” says Megan. In addition to selling customized team and sponsor packages, they’re offering add-ons like VIP player’s bags, mulligans, and raffle tickets to raise additional dollars at the time of registration. People can even sign up to volunteer via the event website’s registration process. Supporters can also make a direct donation to TMC for Children through the site.
Bruce, Megan, and the planning team are excited to also offer live scoring at this year’s tournament. “Golfers are going to love it,” Megan says. They’ll also capitalize on opportunities to raise even more money throughout the weekend, using GolfStatus’s built-in messaging and donation features. “We want to make it as easy as possible for folks to be philanthropic,” says Bruce. “It’s going to be great that people won’t have to wait in line for transactions—they can buy mulligans or raffle tickets right from their phones!”
“We want to make it as easy as possible for folks to be philanthropic.”
The golf tournament is one of the Foundation’s most lucrative fundraisers. Bruce and Megan hope to continue to significantly grow the event in the coming years, further engaging golfers and corporate sponsors. “We really want this to become an epic event that people really want to participate in,” Bruce says.
Get Involved
If you’re in the Tucson area and want to be part of the Hook-N-Slice golf tournament as a player, volunteer, or sponsor, register here. Not in the Tucson area or unable to play in the tournament? You can still support TMC for Children by making a donation.
If you’re interested in organizing a golf tournament that benefits your local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, contact GolfStatus to get started with no-cost technology that streamlines planning and prep, securely collects donor data, and handles the golf-specific details to raise more money.