Over the weekend, Special Olympics Arizona hosted the annual Arizona Special Olympics Summer Games in which athletes from around the state competed in Track and Field, Volleyball and Power Lifting. The Thunderbirds are a proud supporter of this great organization and want to congratulate all of the athletes who competed in the 2019 Games!
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/ce-XBVXC8ug”][vc_column_text]Thunderbirds Charities, the charitable giving arm of The Thunderbirds – hosts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open – announced today at an official groundbreaking ceremony, that a record-breaking donation of $1 million has been gifted to Special Olympics Arizona (SOAZ). The donation is the largest single gift handed out by Thunderbirds Charities since its inception in 1937, and the gift will help support the building of a new Special Olympics Arizona state office and distribution center adjacent to Perryville Prison in Goodyear.
“We’re extremely proud of every charitable contribution we make to our local communities, but this gift to Special Olympics Arizona – the largest in our organization’s history – is extremely special,” said 2019 WM Phoenix Open Tournament Chairman Chance Cozby. “This gift is only possible through the incredible support we receive from our corporate partners and from the best fans in golf who attend the WM Phoenix Open each year. We’re honored and humbled to have such a strong giving presence in the Valley.”
This much needed new facility, which will be led by JE Dunn Construction, will provide statewide support for programs and events that are not just for Special Olympic athletes and personnel, but also for the community and sporting events that focus on inclusion. It will provide a center for distribution services, uniform production, equipment, and an efficient facility for youth and inclusive sports in the state of Arizona.
“This new state office and distribution center will provide programs, services and equipment to 25,000 athletes and Unified partners across the state of Arizona,” said Jamie Heckerman, CEO of Special Olympics Arizona. “We are grateful for this partnership with The Thunderbirds and the Arizona Department of Corrections to make this much needed project possible.”
The Arizona Department of Corrections has partnered with SOAZ on this project and has created an inmate work crew to benefit SOAZ while also providing services and classes for inmates. The building will be sustained by inmate labor with equipment maintenance, repair and management, while also providing job training for inmates to stop recidivism into prison system, provide classes in auto maintenance and repair, design/art work, printing for SOAZ uniforms and banners.
“The Arizona Department of Corrections is proud of its partnership with Special Olympics Arizona and we are excited to host its new distribution center on the grounds of the Perryville Complex,” said ADC Director Charles Ryan. “It will create additional skill development and employment opportunities for our inmates, and enable us to support the organization’s important and growing efforts to provide inclusive community programs and events throughout the state for years to come.”
Representatives from Special Olympics Arizona, The Thunderbirds and the Arizona Department of Corrections, along with the Governor of Arizona and the Mayor of Goodyear, were on hand today to officially break ground on the new project that is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.
ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS ARIZONA:
The purpose of SOAZ is to empower children and adults with intellectual disabilities to live healthy, fulfilling and meaningful lives. We realize our vision of acceptance and inclusion through health, leadership and advocacy programs, as well as our mission to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-style sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. For more information on Special Olympics Arizona visit www.specialolympicsarizona.org.
ABOUT THE THUNDERBIRDS:
The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937 with the mission of promoting the Valley of the Sun through sports. The Thunderbirds consist of 55 “active” members and more than 280 “life” members. The Thunderbirds raised a record $13.2 million for charity from proceeds from the 2019 WM Phoenix Open and have eclipsed $147 million in charitable giving since its inception in 1932. For more information on The Thunderbirds visit www.thunderbirdscharities.org.
ABOUT JE DUNN CONSTRUCTION:
JE Dunn Construction, founded in 1924, is the 17th largest domestic general building contractor in the United States with offices in 20 locations. Our vision is to be an indispensable business partner for our clients by first understanding their purpose, goals and customers and then delivering transformational solutions with certainty of results. We maintain a commitment to our clients and their building goals while being true to our guiding principles — the philosophy of our business operation which is both family and employee-owned. JE Dunn’s purpose is to enrich lives through inspired people and places. www.jedunn.com.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
UPWARD for Children and Families, founded in 1958, serves children with special needs. Their purpose is to help children with special needs achieve their highest potential, while empowering their families to thrive. A number of the children who attend UPWARD programs are severely disabled and medically fragile and could not attend programs on campus without nursing on-site. Thunderbirds Charities has been a strong supporter of this critical Nursing Program at UPWARD for many years.
There’s always something going on during tournament week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. From practice rounds and the R.S. Hoyt Jr. Family Foundation Dream day on Monday and Tuesday, to the trophy presentation after the final putt on Sunday, fans of all ages can enjoy watching the PGA TOUR’s best take on TPC Scottsdale. Wednesday is no exception, playing host to the Annexus Pro-Am which brings celebrities and sports starts from all over the world to play alongside the world’s best professional golfers. But at the 2019 event, one collegiate golfer stole the show when she teed it up with the big boys at the world-famous par-3 16th hole.
Playing alongside 2018 WM Phoenix Open Champion Gary Woodland was Paradise Valley Community College golfer Amy Bockerstette who took to the tee box at the loudest hole in golf. Bockerstette received an athletic scholarship to PVCC in 2018, making her the first golfer with down syndrome to earn the honor.
Her tee shot found the bunker short and right of the green, and when asked if she wanted to play her next shot by Mr. Woodland she responded with pride and confidence saying, “I got this.”
Her second shot came out of the bunker clean, rolling closer to the hole before coming to rest about 15 feet away. Bockerstette studied the line and promptly drained her putt for par. The roar of the fans in the stands was deafening as Bockerstette waved to the crowd after her incredible up and down.
“That is so awesome,” said Woodland as he embraced Bockerstette. Indeed, Mr. Woodland, it was awesome.
Just another incredible moment at The People’s Open.
Since 1932, the Waste Management Phoenix Open has held 84 tournaments, hosted millions of people from all over the world and given more than $134 million to local charities. And as hosts of the tournament, The Thunderbirds would like to extend an enormous thank you to all our sponsors, volunteers, charity partners, and, of course, THE GREATEST FANS IN GOLF.
Without the millions of fans who have crossed through the gates at TPC Scottsdale, none of this would be possible. We can’t thank you enough for your support of our event and your commitment to being part of one of the best-attended sporting events in the world, as well as the largest zero-waste event on the planet.
Thank you.
-The Thunderbirds
El día uno del Abierto Waste Management de Phoenix está en los libros. Kadima.Ventures Pro-Am del lunes presentó a los profesionales del PGA TOUR realizando sus rondas de práctica junto con los líderes de la comunidad y personas de alto nivel durante la tarde soleada del lunes. El grupo de Scott Stallings obtuvo la máxima calificación con una puntuación de 55. El equipo de Tom Hoge obtuvo segundo lugar con un tiro por debajo del ganador, y el campeón anterior del Abierto WM de Phoenix, Aaron Baddeley, obtuvo el tercer lugar con 58.
Mañana martes no se pierda la acción – con entrada gratuita gracias a los Días Gratuitos de Ford cortesía de los concesionarios Ford en Arizona -con R.S. Hoyt Jr. Family Foundation Dream Day presentado por PING iniciando a las 10 a.m. en campo de prácticas del TPC Champions Course. Los aficionados que estén disponibles para el Dream Day pueden unirse a la diversión y gozar de un espectáculo de golf, de la enseñanza del golf juvenil proporcionada por The First Tee de Phoenix, otros juegos, comida y apariciones del profesional del PGA TOUR Cameron Champ, Archie Bradley, lanzador de los Diamondbacks de Arizona y Anthony Rizzo, primera base de los Chicago Cubs.
El martes también se llevará a cabo el Abierto de las Olimpiadas Especiales San Tan Ford (San Tan Ford Special Olympics Open) en donde los atletas olímpicos especiales, las celebridades, las estrellas del deporte y directivos empresariales del Valle son parte de una competencia amigable. El evento inicia a las 11 a.m. en el green del TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course.
Después del Abierto de las Olimpiadas Especiales, el Wives Golf Classic del PGA TOUR presenta a las esposas de los jugadores del PGA TOUR compitiendo en un duelo amistoso de 9 hoyos para oganizaciones de beneficencia, mientas que sus esposos profesionales del PGA TOUR serán los caddies durante el día – cargando las bolsas de golf, barriendo las trampas de arena y cuidando las banderas para sus esposos, todo esto para organizaciones de beneficencia. El evento está abierto para el público e inicia a las 2 p.m.
El campo del Abierto WM de Phoenix 2019 ya está casi listo. Chance Cozby, Presidente del Torneo WMPO, anunció hoy que Steven Jaeger y John Catlin recibieron los dos últimos espacios para exención de patrocinios. Hunter Mahan, antiguo campeón del Abierto WM de Phoenix – quién originalmente recibió un espacio para exención de patrocinio- llegó al evento de 2019 al finalizar la semana pasada en el Top-10 del Abierto Farmers Insurance. Todavía hay tres espacios clasificatorios para el lunes que se pueden adquirir. Mañana en el Rancho McCormick se decidirá un empate de cuatro personas para determinar los tres últimos espacios para los jugadores de 2019