NAHC Collaborates with the PGA Tour to Spread the Gospel of Hospice and Home Care

"We are honored to have the support of the PGA TOUR in spreading the word about the good work done by the angels of hospice and home care, as well as the efforts of The First Tee in helping underprivileged kids." -Val J. Halamandaris, President, National Association for Home Care & Hospice

In June , all eyes in the world of golf turned to the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links. And as the pros started playing their practice rounds on the course before the tournament — which is typically when you’ll hear some grumbling of ill-placed bunkers, problem greens, and the like — the newspapers synchronously began reporting what those who’ve played there have expressed, too: near ubiquitous praise for this legendary venue. The New York Times, for instance, referred to a “universal reverence” among the players readying their games. Not surprisingly, many of the sport’s top players regard Pebble Beach as the premier golf course in the world, and certainly one of the most beautiful. 

That’s why the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) is thrilled to announce that in just a few months, this same venue will be helping raise awareness of the critical work of home care and hospice across the nation while also benefitting underprivileged kids. The PGA TOUR Champions Tour, charitable organization The First Tee, and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation have announced that NAHC will serve as the title sponsor for the 2010 Champions Tour event at Pebble Beach this coming Labor Day weekend.

To be known as the Home Care & Hospice First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, the unique format of this event, which is now entering its seventh year, gives junior golfers and amateurs a chance to compete side-by-side with Champions Tour players at the renowned Pebble Beach Golf Links and Del Monte Golf Course. Scheduled for September 3-5, the event will be held in conjunction with The First Tee, a nonprofit group that aims to provide “the golf learning facilities and the experience that will enable kids from every walk of life to partake of a game that teaches values for life — and which can be played for a lifetime.”

“We are honored to have the support of the PGA TOUR in spreading the word about the good work done by the angels of hospice and home care, as well as the efforts of The First Tee in helping underprivileged kids,” said NAHC President Val J. Halamandaris. “The PGA TOUR’s focus has been not only to promote excellence in golf but the values of caring, integrity, and service to humanity. And that is a cause that resonates very strongly to our own. We are proud to be a part of this partnership.” 

“We’re delighted that NAHC has stepped up to sponsor the 2010 event and support The First Tee,” said Mike Stevens, president of the Champions Tour, a member organization of pro golfers aged 50 and older. “I believe this partnership with NAHC is a natural fit given the PGA TOUR’s commitment to charity.” 

Started by singer and actor Bing Crosby and a group of friends in 1937, the Monterey Peninsula Foundation focuses on improving the quality of life for the Monterey Peninsula and surrounding areas and funding organizations and programs “that demonstrate the greatest positive effect.” Clint Eastwood, chairman of the foundation’s board, stated, “Thanks to NAHC, the 2010 tournament will showcase this highly successful youth-development program to a global audience and celebrate the values upon which both Home Care & Hospice and The First Tee are based.”

The First Tee, which is based in St. Augustine, FL, is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation that was started in 1997 and boasts as its honorary chairman former President George H. W. Bush. The organization’s “Nine Core Values” program aims to instill in youth responsibility, perseverance, courtesy, judgment, honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, and confidence. 

“The opportunity for our participants to play alongside Champions Tour players, many of whom are World Golf Hall of Fame members, at as significant a setting as Pebble Beach is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., CEO of The First Tee. “We have the highest respect for caregivers who provide in-home health care and supportive services, and we are grateful to NAHC for their commitment to this year’s tournament. Their support allows The First Tee’s mission to be shared with a broader audience.”