Manning will join the country’s best blind golfers for the nonprofit’s two-day event at Mount Kisco Country Club in Mount Kisco, NY and Fairview Country Club in Greenwich, CT – two of the region’s favorite and most challenging courses.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s Golf Classic features a unique combination of intrepid athleticism and a renowned celebrity quarterback, making it a perennial favorite of businesses, the public and media alike. The event was founded by PGA legend Ken Venturi in 1977 and is Guiding Eyes’ largest annual fundraiser. To date it has raised over $7 million for the organization, which provides guide dogs to blind and visually impaired people and service dogs to children with autism – all at no cost. Guiding Eyes is fully dependent upon contributions to fulfill its mission.
Manning shares, "Since I’ve been a part of this, I've learned so much about how these dogs affect lives. Every year, I listen to people tell their story about how they’re able to accomplish so much more, and to fulfill so many different talents in their lives because of having guide dogs. That’s been very rewarding for me." The star football player became involved with Guiding Eyes through family friend Patrick Browne Jr., a famed blind golfer and 24-time Golf Classic champion.
Sponsorships for the 36th Annual Golf Classic are now being accepted at the Platinum, Gold and Silver levels. Additional support opportunities are also available including hole sponsorship and journal advertising.
PepsiCo’s Gatorade brand returns as a Golf Classic Diamond Sponsor. PepsiCo and Guiding Eyes have a unique partnership based on their mutual commitments to enhancing the lives of people with different abilities, and the company’s support of the Golf Classic is but one element of a comprehensive relationship involving PepsiCo employees across all of its operating divisions.
The Journal News returns as the Golf Classic’s Media Sponsor. Additional sponsors for the 36th Annual Guiding Eyes for the Blind Golf Classic include:
Platinum Sponsors: Canine Company, John Donnelly and Kinloch Insurance Services / South Eastern Farms
Gold Sponsors: A. Devito & Son, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, The Justich Family Foundation and Skanska
Silver Sponsors: Aero Hardware, CBS Sports, Citibank, Harriet and Bob Druskin, Empire Merchants, Paul Holland, Rolex, Rollins Insurance, Welby, Brady & Greenblatt, LLP, Westchester Airport and Wilson & Son Jewelers
“We are fortunate to have the perfect combination of star power and compelling mission to propel our Golf Classic into what will soon be another sold-out event,” said Sue Dishart, vice president of marketing and development, Guiding Eyes for the Blind. “You can't put a price tag on Eli Manning's willingness to host and attend the Classic. We are also excited that so many sponsors have jumped on board at this early date. They tell us that this is the one charity golf event that leaves lasting memories – of meeting Eli Manning on the courses, of being challenged by our champion blind golfers, and of hearing the remarkable stories of the blind and visually impaired men and women who receive Guiding Eyes dogs.”
On Sunday, June 9, Guiding Eyes presents the Corcoran Cup, the “Masters” of blind golf. Over a dozen top United States Blind Golfers Association players will compete for the coveted award. The sponsor-support outing takes place the following day, when blind golfers challenge sponsors to wear blindfolds and take a shot at hitting the ball – so that they experience golf as a visually impaired person. At last year’s event, Manning took the challenge and sank his putt.
To find out more about sponsorship opportunities or for general golf information, please contact Michelle Brier, director of marketing and communications, at 914.243.2208 or mbrier@guidingeyes.org. Signed sports memorabilia, exotic vacations and exclusive experiences will also be available as part of the Golf Classic’s online auction, which goes live in May.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind is located at 611 Granite Springs Road in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. They can be reached at 914.245.4024 or by visiting www.guidingeyes.org. For the latest news, please visit Guiding Eyes on Facebook www.facebook.com/guidingeyes and on Twitter www.twitter.com/guidingeyes.
About Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Guiding Eyes for the Blind is an internationally accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit guide dog school founded in 1954. Since its inception, Guiding Eyes has grown to be one of the foremost guide dog schools in the world, known for its cutting-edge training programs, commitment to excellence, and dedication to its elite and superbly trained guide dogs. In 2008, the school launched Heeling Autism, a service dog program designed to provide safety and companionship for children on the autism spectrum. Guiding Eyes provides all of its services at no cost, and is dependent upon contributions to fulfill its mission. The organization’s Headquarters and Training Center is located in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. and its Canine Development Center is in Patterson, N.Y. For more info, visit www.guidingeyes.org, like Guiding Eyes on Facebook (www.facebook.com/guidingeyes) or follow @guidingeyes on Twitter.
