The 10th annual Sheetz Family Christmas "For the Kidz" Golf Classic in Williamsburg, Va. this week is drawing big-name stars like Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, NFL greats Lawrence Taylor, Eric Dickerson, Cris Carter and LPGA pro Natalie Gulbis.
The charity event, held yesterday and today at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, raises thousands of dollars so children can enjoy the holiday season a little more. It began in 1992 when Sheetz c-store employees in Blair County, Pa., raised money to help underprivileged families buy clothes, toys and other presents for children during the holidays.
In December, Sheetz employees in the company’s six-state area will host holiday parties for children. Meanwhile, the annual golf charity event is a huge draw for big names in sports and entertainment.
"We are so grateful for 10 years of support for this event, said Louie Sheetz, executive vice president of marketing at Sheetz. “It has grown into the most incredible fundraiser we do here at Sheetz. Every year we are able to help more children than the last. We now have more than 11,000 dedicated, hard working employees. When we team them up with the kindness of our vendors and the generosity of our communities and friends, we are able to continue this unique tradition."
Other celebrity athletes joining this year’s fundraiser include former MLB stars Dave Giusti, Rick Reuschel, Jim Rooker, Kent Tekulve and former NFL stars Mel Blount, Andre Collins, L.C. Greenwood, Jack Ham, Al Jenkins, Leroy Kelly, John Riggins and Mike Wagner.
ESPN SportsCenter anchor John Anderson is also participating in the event. Last year, the Sheetz Family Charities program raised over $350,000 and helped more than 4,000 children in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. To date, Sheetz employees have raised more than $5 million for Sheetz Family Charities and helped more than 43,000 children.
In 2005, Sheetz Family Charities formed a new partnership with Make-A-Wish Foundation, donating $310,000 to that organization to make Sheetz the largest single contributor to Make-A-Wish Foundation in Pennsylvania. So far, the money has been used to grant more than 60 wishes for seriously ill children and their families to visit Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
