Morongo Charity Golf Tournament Surpasses One Million Dollar Mark

The following press release was submitted for publication on behalf of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians:

Hundreds of golfers took the fairways as part of the 17th Annual Morongo Charity Golf Tournament which raised $60,000 for several non-profit groups, including a program that will provide new backpacks, school supplies and shoes to as many as 500 low-income children in the San Gorgonio Pass.

Since its launch 17 years ago, the annual Morongo Charity Golf Tournament has raised more than $1 million for dozens of local and regional non-profit groups that provide services and support to military veterans, children, schools and hospitals.

“Year after year, players and sponsors join with Morongo to make our Charity Golf Tournament a tremendous success, and this year was no different,” said event co-chairman Damon Sandoval, a Morongo Tribal Council member. “We are delighted to have raised more than $1 million dollars over the past 17 years which has been used to help improve the lives of local children, veterans and others in need across our region.”

Hosted by the Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa, this year’s tournament attracted more than 370 golfers to the lush Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon on Monday June 10th.

“The Morongo Band of Mission Indians has a long tradition of giving back to the community, and we couldn’t be happier to see that our annual Charity Golf Tournament has reached the $1 million mark,” said event co-chairman Charles Martin, a Morongo Tribal Council member. “We truly appreciate the generous support of all the golfers and community sponsors who have partnered with Morongo to reach this milestone.”

This year’s Morongo Charity Golf Tournament benefited four non-profit groups:

• The Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Gorgonio Pass:Founded in 2006, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Gorgonio Pass serves hundreds of children daily. Funds from the Morongo Charity Golf Tournament will be used to provide up to 500 children from kindergarten through seventh grade with backpacks filled with school supplies and shoes in August.
• REACH Autism Program: Operated by the Riverside County Office of Education, the REACH Autism Program serves preschool to high school students in 27 classrooms across the county. Funds from the Morongo Charity Golf Tournament will be used to buy iPads and specialized software for use in REACH classrooms at three schools in Banning and Beaumont. The equipment will help non-verbal children develop communication skills.
  
• The San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Foundation: The San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Foundation is dedicated to improving the community's health and healthcare. Funds from the golf tournament will be used to support and improve the facilities, equipment, and services of San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital.
  
• Malki Museum: The oldest non-profit museum founded by Native Americans on a California Indian reservation, the mission of the Malki Museum is to promote scholarship and cultural awareness, and to encourage preservation of Southern California Indian cultures.
  

Amy Herr, chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Gorgonio Pass, said the donation from the Morongo Charity Golf Tournament will make a big difference for many families.

“These are still tough times and many local families are struggling just to provide food and a roof for their kids to sleep under every night,” Herr said. “Thanks to Morongo, our students will be starting the new school year with new shoes and a backpack stuffed with all the school supplies they need to succeed in the classroom.”

The Morongo Charity Golf Tournament is one of several annual community events conducted by the Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.

True to its long tradition of giving, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians has contributed more than $5 million to hundreds of local and national non-profit organizations and charities during the last five years.