Local Golfers Win Charity Tournament for Social Service Agency

Andy Rybak and John Conley, both of Orland Park, placed ninth in the 2020 Lexus Champions for Charity tournament, winning a portion of the charity purse for St. Coletta’s of Illinois, located in Tinley Park, Illinois. Lexus of Orland, a Kowalis Auto Group dealership, sponsored the Lexus Champions for Charity tournament entry for St. Coletta’s. The entry is raffled off at St. Coletta’s Kennedy Golf Invitational at Crystal Tree Golf and Country Club each August. The winner selects a partner of their choice to compete in the Lexus Champions for Charity tournament the following December. The three-day tournament is an amateur competition, but golfers are treated to professional tournament exclusives and rounds at Pebble Beach, The Links at Spanish Bay, and Spyglass Hill.

With over 300 golfers and 400 guests from 37 states - many returning participants - the competition is both fierce and the vacation of a lifetime. Golfers stay at the Pebble Beach resort, enjoy five-star dining, are chauffeured in Lexus vehicles, receive resort credit that can be redeemed for shopping, spas, or meals, and end the weekend with a reception celebrating the winners and their charities. As of 2019, across thirty-one years, $32.5 million has been raised nationwide from raffles and auctions for entry. Overall, the Lexus Champions for Charity program has helped raise over $450 million at over 5,200 events nationwide.

St. Coletta’s of Illinois offers a chance to win entry each year at their Kennedy Golf Invitational. Both attending golfers and those who are unable to attend but are interested in the Lexus Champions for Charity can purchase raffle tickets. Those who do attend will enjoy eighteen holes of golf at Crystal Tree Golf and Country Club in Orland Park, lunch and dinner, drinks on the course, games, and raffles. The winner will be drawn at the end of the event and does not need to be present. All event and raffle proceeds benefit St. Coletta’s of Illinois, a local nonprofit that serves adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. If you are interested in learning more about Lexus Champions for Charity or the Kennedy Invitational, please visit www.stcolettasofil.org and subscribe to the mailing list to be notified about the upcoming 2021 tournament.

St. Coletta’s mission is to serve children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities so they can achieve their greatest potential within society. Founded in 1949 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, who continue to sponsor us, St. Coletta’s provides a life-long continuum of care beginning in early childhood. Our residential, educational, and vocational training programs provide services for individuals that enhance their independence and well-being. For more information or to schedule a tour, please call (708) 342-5200 or visit www.stcolettail.org.