Most golfers would call a hole-in-one their dream shot.
But for those taking part in the Scott Medlock-Robby Krieger Invitational Golf Tournament, the goal isn’t attaining the best golf score; it’s raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Participants in this year’s tournament, which tees off Monday at Moorpark Country Club, will aim to do just that.
Proceeds from the Oct. 5 golf tournament and concert will benefit the Memphis-based hospital that has provided a half-century of free care to thousands of young patients battling cancer, tumors and deadly infectious diseases.
Longtime friends Scott Medlock, a renowned sports artist, and Doors guitarist Robby Krieger will partner for the eighth year to host the day-long event.
The tourney was originally founded in 2008 to benefit the Pat Tillman Foundation, an organization that provides academic scholarship for military veterans and their spouses. The foundation was named in honor of the former professional football player who turned down millions of dollars with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the military and become a Ranger in the Army. He was killed in Afghanistan in 2004.
But in 2011, Medlock met then-CEO of St. Jude, Richard Shadyac, when they were paired together in another celebrity golf tournament. Medlock was so inspired by the hospital’s mission to provide free care to children that he and Krieger decided to use their golf tournament to raise money for St. Jude.
Founded in 1962, St. Jude treats about 7,800 children from all over the world every year. The nonprofit hospital requires about $2 million in daily operating costs, 75 percent of which is funded by public contributions.
For the past five years Wendi Demmerle has been one of the lead organizers for the tournament, and said she was honored to help with a benefit that impacts so many children in need.
“It touches my heart deeply just being able to come together, just getting people involved knowing that the lives of children are touched,” Demmerle said. “I do a lot of celebrity-type events but this (event) just rings true to my heart because of the care that I feel for children’s well-being.”
