ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) – A golf tournament in Albemarle County is raising money for families in need at the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital.
Fore The Kids is being held at Birdwood. The event has already raised more than $75,000.
“We have people coming from all over the place to play golf and have a good time. But the most important thing is that we’re coming together as the greater-Charlottesville community to help the families in our neighborhoods,” Ryan Lightner said.
This tournament is the first in-person fundraiser UVA Children’s Hospital has been able to hold since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Children’s Hospital really relies on a lot of in-person events for fundraising, and it just didn’t happen this year because of COVID,” Lightner said.
Money raised is going to the Family-Centered Care program, which helps families pay for food, travel, housing, and other emergency needs.
“When you have children who have very serious illnesses and or injuries – sometimes these are life-threatening, many times they go on for years, you know, everything from cancer to all kinds of things – it becomes a huge strain and burden on the families to manage their lives,” Paul Sartori said.
The tournament quickly sold out, and dozens came out Monday, June 21, to enjoy a day on the links while also helping these families.
“I can’t be happier with how this has turned out,” Lightner said. “I mean it’s really been, you know, a bright spot in a really difficult year.”
This is the first annual tournament and will now take place every year in late June.
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