RENO, Nev. – As a continuation of its Clubs for Armed Forces program, The Legends at Sparks Marina Reno-Tahoe Open, together with foundation sponsor EMPLOYERS, a Reno-based company providing workers' compensation insurance and services to select small businesses sent off golf clubs and tee prize packets for the armed forces who are currently serving abroad in the war zones Iraq and Afghanistan.
Tournament officials, EMPLOYERS and Golf Headquarters loaded up 20 sets of clubs, prizes and golf balls to be delivered in anticipation of an upcoming golf tournament taking place at the end of September at Camp Bucca, 25 miles into Iraq from the Kuwait border. The bags contain clubs for Armed Forces t-shirts, LRTO golf shirts, a LRTO hat, golf gloves, golf shoes and golf mats to hit balls from.
The Clubs for Armed Forces program was conceived by EMPLOYERS’ Executive Vice President and General Counsel Lenard Ormsby, a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard. Together with tournament director Michael Stearns, the idea was brought to life with the help of promotional partner KKOH and Golf Headquarters.
“It is very exciting for everyone to finally be in the position to send golf equipment to the troops serving overseas,” said Ormsby. “We’ve been organizing the Clubs for Armed Forces program for months and now it has finally come to fruition and we have the chance to send a reminder to the troops that they are not forgotten and show them our thanks. From the organizers of the program to the community members who donated, it’s an exciting moment.”
Earlier this year, The Legends at Sparks Marina Reno-Tahoe Open along with EMPLOYERS sought the northern Nevada community’s help in collecting new and used golf clubs and balls to benefit members of the United States Armed Forces. More than 700 sets of golf clubs and more than 4,000 golf balls were collected at Golf Headquarters, donated by members of the Reno/Sparks/Lake Tahoe community and community golf courses. To cap off this year’s program, there was an emotional C-130 helicopter fly-over during the trophy presentation on the final day of the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open.
“The community coming together in support of our troops overseas has been tremendous and well above our expectations,” said Stearns. “We anticipate the Clubs for Armed Forces program to continue again in 2010 so that soldiers serving overseas who want to play in his or her free time can tee it up. This is the least we can do for those that defend our freedoms we enjoy here at home.”
For more information on how to donate, visit www.LegendsRenoTahoeOpen.com or contact the tournament office at 775-322-3900.