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Bay Area Charity Raises Funds for Youth Sports
Sean Barry reports.
Tampa, Florida – On Friday morning, the fairways and tee boxes at TPC Tampa Bay were filled not with the sound of another round of golf, but with the sound of hundreds of thousands of dollars raised for charity.
When Bob and Donna Ritchie lost their son Jason in a car accident in 2009, they set out to raise money to help other kids who love sports as much as Jason.
Donna Richie said, “I didn’t know what was going to happen from the beginning.
Their goal changed to the Ritchie Hockey Foundation, which provides scholarships and free clinics to young athletes in Florida and across the country.
“It’s about boosting self-confidence. It’s about boosting self-esteem, and it’s about some skill sets,” said Bob Ritchie.
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Meanwhile, six years ago, Riches decided to up the stakes and started hosting the Legends of Sports charity golf tournament to raise even more money than before.
Today, the Foundation is aided by Hall of Famers like Warren Sapp and Barry Larkin, both of whom have played in tournaments for the past three years.
The Richie Hockey Foundation provides scholarships and free clinics for young athletes in Florida and across the country.
“We are happy to come here every year,” Sapp said.
Since the foundation moved to the Tampa Bay Area, the Ritchie Hockey Foundation has raised over $2 million to help young athletes achieve their dreams.
“Good people and even better purpose. That’s what I mean,” Sapp said.
True to the Foundation’s mandate, the weekend also hosts a free baseball clinic and a hockey goalie clinic taught by the same star.
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“It’s very important to understand that our days as professional athletes, and now former professional athletes, are over,” said Barry Larkin.
Over time, this annual event has become more than just a fundraiser. It’s an all-star weekend to reach out to the stars of tomorrow.
A charity golf tournament raised $300,000 for youth sports.
“I used to be that kid,” says Super Bowl XXXVII MVP Dexter Jackson.
“And I know there is someone out there who has given me the opportunity to show me the right path and what it takes to be a pro.”
This year, the charity golf tournament helped raise over $300,000, adding to the over $2 million already raised by the Ritchie Hockey Foundation.
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