Jim Brewer with puppets
ESPN Radio/Brewer Media sponsored the first “Swing for Kids” Charity Golf Tournament on Friday, Aug. 7, at Canyon Ridge Golf Club raising $10,465 to benefit Chattanooga’s Kids on the Block (CKOB), puppets with a purpose.
Fifteen four-person teams participated in this first Swing for Kids Charity Golf Tournament hosted by Canyon Ridge Golf Club and sponsored by ESPNChattanooga, Brewer Media Group, Mitch & Deborah Everhart, Professional Signs Service, Chick-Fil-A, Hooters, Coca Cola, Budweiser of Chattanooga, Old Chicago and Craftworks Restaurants and Brewing Company.
Winning teams included: First Place at -20– Drew Toth, Michael Allen, Hunter Parker and Brady Jackson; Second Place at -18 – Wells Guthrie, Sam Guthrie, Andrew Weathers and Billy Weathers; Third Place at -15 – Greg Farrow, who shot his first hole-in-one during the tournament, Scott Howell, Barry Huggins and Tim Gilbert.
With severe cuts in funding threatening to reduce the number of CKOB programs provided free of charge to the schools in the Chattanooga area, Jim Brewer and his team at ESPN Radio reached out to CKOB in efforts to raise funds to support CKOB and the sixteen counties served by the educational puppetry troupe.
CKOB provides programs free of charge to schools in our community in an effort to enhance the quality of life in our area and empower children to become healthy, strong and resourceful future leaders.
“We (CKOB) have experienced a hard loss in funding this year,” said Kelly Williams, executive director of CKOB, “however, the funds raised through this first charity golf tournament hosted by ESPN Radio will help meet the needs to continue to provide our programs free of charge to the schools in our service area. Based on our evaluations and surveys, we see the impact our educational programs are making in our community."
For the 2014-2015 school year Chattanooga’s Kids on the Block (CKOB) was requested to perform and performed over 456 educational programs, serving over 70,000 children and adults in the 16 counties service area. Despite a devastating loss of funds this year, in excess of $130,000, CKOB performed a record number of programs as requested by schools and community organizations in our area. The number of requests and performances marked a 12% increase over that of last year according to Director Williams.
CKOB is a non-profit organization serving 16 counties in Southeast Tennessee, North Georgia, and Alabama by using the power of puppetry to educate children about social concerns and differences, giving them the skills to stay safe and healthy. For over 36 years, CKOB has used the nationally recognized Kids on the Block puppets and the nationally researched scripts to provide awareness and prevention programs on such topics as bullying, child abuse, childhood obesity, brain injury, accepting differences, gangs and violence, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, self-esteem, hygiene and mental health, to primarily elementary aged children in our community.
If you would like to make a donation, sponsor a program or event or would like more information about CKOB, please visit www.kidsontheblock.net or call 423 757-5259.