5th Annual Christmas in the Park Saturday December 1st
June 19, 2012Greenhouse Project Involves Sowing Seeds for Life and ULV Students
August 29, 2012Roy Firestone, a nationally known sportscaster and entertainer, along with participation by other celebrities, highlight the fourth annual Sowing Seeds For Life Celebrity Golf Tournament for Charity on Oct. 8 at the Glendora Country Club.
Firestone, whose standup act includes impersonations, singing, and showing sports bloopers, has agreed to perform at this year’s tournament. Although he hasn’t been able to confirm 100% at this time, the sportscaster probably best known as the longtime and Emmy Award-winning host of ESPN’s “Up Close” says he is about 99% sure he will be at Glendora Country Club Oct. 8.
Firestone will join a long list of celebrities who have taken part in the past two SSFL tournaments, when all-star sports panels highlighted the post-play program. Last year’s tournament also featured nationally known auctioneer Dave Hester, who will return this year. Hester is the star of the A&E reality show, “Storage Wars.”
The first three tournaments were held at Sierra La Verne, but Sowing Seeds founder Vicki Brown and the tournament committee chose to move the tournament to Glendora CC this year.
On last year’s sports panel were former Laker assistant coach Frank Hamblen, legendary horse racing track announcer Trevor Denman, Times sports columnist Bill Dwyre, and former Laker and North Carolina star George Lynch.
The previous year, the golf committee hit a home run, lining up a panel of Laker legends Jerry West and James Worthy, former Dodger shortstop and manager Bill Russell and former UCLA basketball coach Jim Harrick. Other celebrities who played in the tournament included Dodger greats Tommy Davis and Al Downing, UCLA football announcers Chris Roberts and Matt Stevens, Dodger executive and former NFL wide receiver Michael Young, and the L.A. Times’ Bill Dwyre, who served as the sports panel moderator.
Normally, the entry fee for such a tournament would be at least $500. But for the bargain price of $200 ($750 for a foursome), you too can rub shoulders with sports celebrities and, following tournament play, be amazed by Firestone’s standup act. It is something you’ll never foget.
The 2010 panel of West, Worthy, Harrick and Russell was exceptional. For 40 minutes, the panel discussion conducted by Dwyre captivated the audience. You could hear a pin drop.
The panel discussion went on and on, and at one point Dwyre asked tournament coordinator Tim Haas if he should wrap things up. “No, no,” Haas said. “You can go on forever.” The audience, hanging on every word, applauded. They wanted more.
Haas later told the audience, “I’ve been involved with charity golf tournament for more than 25 years. You’d be lucky to find one in 500 like this one.”
Another positive about this tournament is the charity it benefits. Sowing Seed Life is a non-profit that provides food for people in difficult situations. Sowing Seeds for Life
(SSFL) began distributing food in December 2007 to some 100 people a month in the La Verne area and now serves more than 6,000 a month.
The driving force behind Sowing Seeds and the tournament is Vicki Brown, who besides being the founder and CEO of Sowing Seeds for Life is also the CEO of DPI Labs, a prominent multimillion La Verne aerospace company. Vicki literally planted the seeds that grew the charity and the tournament. Sowing Seeds For Life started out as a backyard garden project. “I’m just proud to be the one who watches all this happen,” she says modestly.
It is her hard work and dedication and her connections to the right people that has enabled her to accomplish so much. She is the one who assembled an energetic tournament committee headed by co-chairmen Tim Grant and Al Snow. Another key member is Greg DeSmet, the founder of DPI Labs and the company’s vice president.
Even non-golfers can contribute by being an event sponsor, by purchasing a tee or green sign, making a donation, or donating a raffle or auction prize. At least a portion of most donations is tax deductible.
At least a portion of most donations is tax deductible.