NFL's Top Players Lend Support To Raise Big Dollars For Kapi'olani Medical Center And 170 Other Children's Hospitals As Part Of NFL Pro Bowl Week

Children's Miracle Network
Tuesday, 1 February 2000

Third Year Of Ace Hardware NFL Charities Golf Shootout Includes Nine Hawaii Children Treated At Kapi'olani As Honorary Caddies

(Honolulu) - One would think that after a hard fought game like Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner and St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk had Sunday, all they'd want to do is fly off to the beaches of Hawaii and get some well deserved rest. Instead, they joined other NFL Pro Bowlers Tim Brown, Brad Johnson, John Lynch, Michael Strahan, Wesley Walls, Rod Woodson, and Steve Young to raise funds for Children's Miracle Network and its 170 affiliated children's hospitals, including Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children.

The nine NFL All Stars competed in the Ace Hardware NFL Charities Golf Shootout today at the Ko Olina Golf Club in Kapolei, just outside Honolulu. The Shootout isn't your run-of-the-mill charity golf tournament. Rather, it's a fun-filled, made-for-television event that tests the skills of these football greats in six different golf shots-the drive, medium iron shot, trouble shot, pitch shot, bunker shot and, of course, putting.

The players were paired into three teams as they competed for $100,000 which was donated to Children's Miracle Network in the names of the players from the winning team.

This is the third year of the event, which Ace Hardware has sponsored since its inception. In fact, Ace has been raising funds in behalf of Children's Miracle Network since 1990-a total of $13.3 million over the 10 years. Commenting on the longstanding relationship between the two organizations, Ace Vice President of Human Resources Fred Neer said, "We've proud of the amazing team of Ace retailers, vendors and employees who continue to show that Ace is the place for caring. And knowing that through Children's Miracle Network the dollars raised stay local, benefiting the children in each of our own neighborhoods, makes us that much prouder of our contribution through the Golf Shootout and other events."

This is the second year the event has been held in conjunction with the Pro Bowl, with NFL charities as a co-sponsor. NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and representatives of Ace Hardware will present a check to Children's Miracle Network during halftime of the Pro Bowl game, Sunday, February 6 at Aloha Stadium.

While much attention was placed on the NFL stars at the Shootout, the players were the first to admit that their caddies actually deserved the accolades. Nine children who had been treated at one of the children's hospitals affiliated with Children's Miracle Network were invited to serve as the players' honorary caddies.

One of the children, 10-year-old Justin Young of Mililani, Hawaii, underwent heart surgery at as a tiny, 4-month-old baby at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children. It was at that time that doctors discovered he had Hemophilia. Today Justin receives blood factors three times a week. "When I see kids like Justin and think what they must go through every day just to survive," said Kurt Warner of the Rams, "I know who the real champions are. I've taken some pretty good hits, but they're nothing compared to what these kids deal with."

Highlights of the golf event will air on the June 4 broadcast of CMN Champions, an international telethon which raises money for the 170 children's hospitals affiliated with Children's Miracle Network. It will also be shown in its entirety Sunday August 5 on Fox Sports Net (check local listings for times). The event was produced by NFL Films and featured Fox sportscasters Bill Maas and John Walls.

For more information, or to contact Children's Miracle Network, see their website at: www.cmn.org