ANNIKA Foundation Event Highlights
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Sorenstam tabbed as All Sports guest speaker
FORT WALTON BEACH —JANUARY 16, 2010 Annika Sorenstam doesn’t need a golf course to continue making history.
On Feb. 19 at the All Sports Association’s 41st Annual Awards Dinner, Sorenstam will break new ground by becoming the Fort Walton Beach-based organization’s first female guest speaker.
Sorenstam’s deep philanthropic commitments through her ANNIKA Foundation share a natural affinity with All Sports’ mission of raising money for local youth-oriented, non-profit organizations with an emphasis on sports programs.
“I am excited and honored to be selected as the first female athlete to speak at the All Sports Association banquet,” Sorenstam said in a statement. “The mission of All Sports aligns perfectly with my foundation’s mission — getting kids active and involved in sports. Hopefully I can inspire the youth athletes in attendance to pursue their athletic dreams just like I did.”
All Sports President Robert McEachern didn’t set out to make an unprecedented choice when he began his search for the guest speaker. His priority was to bring in a prominent coach or world-class athlete who “could help our organization further its community support of youth athletics and a speaker that could bring entertainment/celebrity to our banquet.”
McEachern looked at candidates from both genders. As much as anybody, Sorenstam fit the bill of what he was seeking.
In a 15-year career on the LPGA Tour, Sorenstam piled up 72 victories, including 10 major titles. The Swedish star also registered over $22 million in earnings, placing her atop the LPGA’s career money list.
“She has been hailed many years as the ‘Best in the World’ by many and some would propose as the best ever in her sport,” McEachern said. “She also brings a lengthy personal record as a professional athlete with unquestioned character, honor and integrity who has been chosen by many of America’s top organizations to represent them.”
ANNIKA Foundation president Don Ochsenreiter said Sorenstam’s involvement with the All Sports banquet had been in the works since last spring.
After making a commitment to All Sports, Sorenstam decided to bolster her impact in the community with the ANNIKA Experience. Billed by her foundation as a “celebration of active lifestyles and wellness education,” the two-day event on Feb. 19-20 at WaterSound in Panama City Beach will kick off with a celebrity golf clinic, followed by a match with soccer legend Mia Hamm and a meet-and-greet with Sorenstam.
“This is a great opportunity for a wonderful athlete and person who is passionate about youth sports to share her inspirational message with our sports-crazed community,” Ochsenreiter said. “I know her first visit to Northwest Florida will be great for her and for those who get to know her.”
McEachern said All Sports is planning to have some audience interaction with Sorenstam at its banquet.
“Annika’s accomplishments are awesome and would be record-breaking by any gender,” McEachern said. “The fact that she will be our association’s first female speaker only adds more intrigue to this year’s history making banquet.”
Jennifer Mills to Emcee Annika Sorenstam, Mia Hamm Golf Match at ‘ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound’
WATERSOUND, Fla. – January 12, 2010 – The ANNIKA Foundation and St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) announce that NBC host and founding Golf Channel anchor Jennifer Mills will emcee the Annika Sorenstam, Mia Hamm Golf Match at the ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound on Friday, February 19 starting at 9:30 a.m.
One of the most recognizable personalities in golf broadcasting, Jennifer Mills has been an integral part of the television landscape for over 20 years. In addition to her work with NBC, Mills serves as Co-Host of Masters TV for Augusta National, and hosts, ‘Join the Club: Better Golf for Women’ for Turner Sports. She is a member of numerous women’s golf and business organizations, including the Executive Women’s Golf Association and Women in the Golf Industry for which she was a founding member.
“Annika and Mia are international sports icons who have dedicated themselves to enhancing the lives of others through their foundations,” says Mills. “I am honored to be a part of the ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound, and look forward to the camaraderie and competition of their match at Origins Golf Club. I’d say ‘may the best woman win,’ but they are both great so how can I?”
Annika, a member of both the World Golf and LPGA Halls of Fame and widely regarded as the greatest female golfer of all-time, and Mia, elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1997 and a three-time Olympic medalist and two-time World Cup champion, will play a 10-hole match on Origins’ par-3 configuration (course description below). They will be joined by a team of 20 local junior golfers – 10 boys and 10 girls – who will each play a hole with the star pairing.
Prior to the match, at 8:30 a.m. Annika will conduct a golf clinic for the junior golfers and the general public at Origins. Mills will emcee and elicit questions from the audience, and Mia will assist her at various points throughout the session, including demonstrating tips and shots. Following the golf match, Annika will headline a “Meet Annika and Mia” luncheon at The Village Commons at WaterSound from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. where they will both discuss their respective philanthropic work.
Other planned events for Saturday include a children’s fitness clinic, a charity golf tournament at the Tom Fazio-designed Camp Creek Golf Club, where all teams will play a hole with Annika, and a food and wine reception following golf at Fish Out of Water, the award-winning, fine-dining restaurant at WaterColor Inn, one of the region’s premier coastal, boutique inns.
Proceeds from the ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound will benefit local charities and the ANNIKA Foundation, the golf legend’s charitable arm that teaches children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition and offers aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams. Mia will raise funds and awareness for bone marrow transplant patients and their families in honor of her brother Garrett, who passed away from complications of a bone marrow disease.
Accommodation packages will be available at WaterColor Inn and Resort and WaterSound Beach including admission to all ticketed events. For the full schedule of events and sponsorship opportunities contact Monark Events at 850.728.9476, 616.890.6497 or via email at info@monarkevents.com.
Greetings and Happy New Year!
JANUARY 8, 2010 We need your help TODAY with Annika's first-ever online giving competition! Each of the 55 athletes involved in the Who Gives? Racing for a Cause campaign will choose one day to be "their day" where they will try to to "win" the competition by raising the most money for their cause. In honor of Annika and Mike's 1st wedding anniversary on January 10th, we have chosen TODAY as our day to "win" the daily online giving contest! Sponsored by Athletes for Hope through Global Giving, our Foundation goal is to not only succeed in this campaign but also to "win" the daily race - TODAY!
Donations can be as small as $10, but they all add up! 100% of the funds donated will go toward implementing the SPARK curriculum to low income elementary schools with a high incidence of childhood obesity. This program is clinically proven to teach kids how to live an active, healthy lifestyle through fitness and nutrition.
Plus, the ANNIKA Foundation will match dollar-for-dollar every donation!
Cick to Donate Now!
Who Gives? Racing for a Cause
In December we launched our first-ever online giving campaign, in a friendly competition with 54 other athletes, to raise funds for teaching low income kids in Florida with a high incidence of obesity, the importance of fitness and nutrition. For more information on our project, please visit www.globalgiving.org/projects/annikafoundation
Please consider giving to our cause today.
Thank you for your ongoing support of the ANNIKA Foundation.
Sincerely,
The ANNIKA Foundation Team
Annika teams up with Athletes for Hope in “Racing for a Cause” Campaign
DECEMBER 18, 2009 — We're excited to announce that Annika is teaming up with Athletes for Hope to support our mission and raise funds this holiday season. The Athletes for Hope "Who Gives? Racing for a Cause" campaign is kicking off today and features 55 of the world’s best athletes in a competition to find out who can do the most good. Each athlete has teamed up with their favorite charity and will be going head-to-head from now until January 15th in a race for the grand prize of $10,000.
It's going to be a fun, but tough, competition, and in order to win, we're going to need everyone to get involved. No donation is too small and for as little as $10 you can support a child and help us teach 25,000 low-income kids the importance of physical fitness and proper nutrition utilizing the award-winning SPARK curriculum.
Our project page can be found at www.globalgiving.org/projects/annikafoundation/ where you can donate and learn more about the program we're supporting. In order to win the race, we are going to need the help of everyone, so please share this with your family and friends and ask them to help too!
Check out the leader board at www.globalgiving.org/athletes-for-hope to track our progress and scope out the competition. We will keep you posted throughout the race and hope to see you at the finish line!
Thank you for your support,
ANNIKA Foundation Read Full Press Release
Hall of Fame Golfer Annika Sorenstam to Participate in ICAP 17th Annual Global Charity Day, December 9
Local Junior Golfers to Play with International Sports Icons at Innovative Origins Golf Club
NEW YORK, DECEMBER 9, 2009 — Hall of Fame golfer Annika Sorenstam will participate in ICAP’s 17th annual global Charity Day on Wednesday, December 9, 2009. On this day, ICAP, the world’s premier interdealer broker, will donate 100% of company revenues and commissions to a selection of over 120 charities around the world, including the ANNIKA Foundation. The foundation is Annika’s charitable arm that teaches children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition and offers aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams.
As part of the day’s activities, Annika will visit the ICAP offices in Jersey City, N.J. to rally employee enthusiasm and interact with clients to help boost trading volumes. Prince William, Prince Harry, Bill Clinton, actors Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington, and musicians Jon Bon Jovi and Elton John have been a few of those who have lent their support at ICAP offices in past years.
Annika Sorenstam, Mia Hamm Square-Off in Celebrity Golf Match to Kick-Off ‘ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound
Local Junior Golfers to Play with International Sports Icons at Innovative Origins Golf Club
WATERSOUND, Fla. – DECEMBER 7, 2009 – The ANNIKA Foundation and St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) announce international sports icons Annika Sorenstam and Mia Hamm will square-off in a celebrity golf match at Origins Golf Club on Friday, February 19, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. to kick-off the “ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound,” a two-day celebration of active lifestyles and wellness education to benefit the ANNIKA Foundation and local charities.
Governor Crist Appoints Hall of Fame Golfer Annika Sorenstam to Governor's Council on Physical Fitness
~ Encourages middle school students to participate in Governor’s Fitness Challenge ~
TALLAHASSEE – NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - Governor Charlie Crist today announced the appointment of World Golf and LPGA Halls of Fame golfer Annika Sorenstam to the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness. The council met this week in Miami to further its efforts to increase Floridians' level of physical fitness through regular exercise and sound nutrition practices. Governor Crist also encouraged middle schools and students to participate in the 2009-10 Governor’s Fitness Challenge, an eight-week school-based program to help boost children’s participation in physical fitness activities.
GovernorsFitnessChallenge.com - HealthyFloridians.com - Click for more
Read entire press releaseSecond Annual ANNIKA Invitational on Tap in Early 2010
Reunion, Florida • February 12-15, 2010 - The second annual ANNIKA Invitational girls’ junior golf championship will be played on February 12-15 at the Reunion Resort in Orlando, Florida. Conducted in partnership between the ANNIKA Foundation and the American Junior Golf Association, the ANNIKA Invitational is a premier junior girls’ event that consists of a 54-hole stroke play event played at Reunion Resort, home of the ANNIKA Academy.
Read entire press releaseANNIKA Foundation and The St. Joe Company Announce ‘ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound’
(November 11, 2009 - WaterSound, Fla) – The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) and Hall of Fame golfer Annika Sorenstam today announce the ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound -- a celebration of active lifestyles and wellness education, to be held February 19-20, 2010 at WaterSound’s Origins Golf Club, Camp Creek Golf Club (a half-mile south), and the WaterColor Inn and Resort.
Read entire press release
ANNIKA Foundation Partners with SPARK to promote healthy, active lifestyles for children
Women’s professional golf icon Annika Sorenstam is pleased to announce that the ANNIKA Foundation will partner with School Specialty’s SPARK Programs to help educate America’s youth about the benefits of physical fitness and proper nutrition. The non-profit foundation, whose mission includes teaching children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle, selected SPARK as a fitness and nutrition curriculum partner because of its proven, research-based success at positively affecting fitness and influencing healthy behaviors among pre-kindergarten through 12th grade children with its award-winning wellness programs.
