A little birdie — or eagle — could mean big bucks for two of Northeast Ohio’s children’s hospitals.
The World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational has named Akron Children’s Hospital and University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland its “official signature charities.”
As part of that designation, each of the pediatric hospitals will receive $100,000 annually from Bridgestone Invitational proceeds, beginning with the 2015 event.
The tournament also is giving $100 to Children’s and Rainbow for every birdie or eagle that PGA golfers and Ohio natives Jason Dufner and Ben Curtis make during the 2014-15 PGA Tour season through a new Birdies for Babies initiative.
The donations are being announced Wednesday afternoon at Firestone Country Club as part of this week’s festivities leading up to the golf tournament’s opening round Thursday.
“We wanted to put a face to the charitable dollars that go back to Northeast Ohio from the Bridgestone Invitational,” Don Padgett III, executive director of the tournament, said Tuesday. “Helping hospitalized kids is a cause that everybody can get behind. It really touches everyone. We couldn’t think of two better organizations.”
The Bridgestone Invitational donates $1 million or more in tournament proceeds to area organizations each year through Northern Ohio Golf Charities.
Thanks to tournament growth, donations have been increasing in recent years, Padgett said. The tournament will continue its support of other regional charities, including Ronald McDonald houses of Akron and Cleveland, Susan G. Komen of Northeast Ohio and the First Tee chapters of Cleveland, Akron and Canton.
“Support from the Bridgestone Invitational and Northern Ohio Golf Charities will help Akron Children’s Hospital and UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital provide exceptional care to patients and their families in our communities,” Rainbow President Patti DePompei said in a news release.
Children’s plans to use the $100,000 annual donation for patient care programs, hospital foundation spokeswoman Ann Merchant said.
“The commitment to the health and well-being of the children in Northeast Ohio is something that the Bridgestone Invitational, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital and Akron Children’s have in common, and I am excited about this new collaboration,” Children’s President and Chief Executive Bill Considine said in a prepared statement. “Akron Children’s and the Women’s Board have received support from the Bridgestone Invitational for many years, and we are grateful to be selected as a signature charity.”
The Birdies for Babies initiative will start in October and continue through the 2015 Bridgestone Invitational.
As part of the program, Parker Hannifin Corp. of Cleveland is matching the tournament’s $100 donation for each birdie — a score of 1 under par — made by Dufner.
The total raised through the Birdies for Babies program will be split by the two pediatric hospitals.
The hospitals also will seek pledges for birdies that Dufner and Curtis make during the PGA Tour.
“We think it will be a fun way to raise some additional funds and also give the golf tournament the chance to talk about our charitable endeavors throughout the year,” Padgett said.
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or cpowell@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow Powell on Twitter at twitter.com/CherylPowellABJ.