Funds raised will benefit a variety of organizations nationwide, including the Gary Sinise Foundation’s work to provide specially adapted housing for wounded veterans.
The US LBM Foundation, the nonprofit organization of US LBM, one of the nation’s largest distributors of specialty building materials, raised $1 million, which will go to multiple charities, including the Gary Sinise Foundation, through the sixth edition of its charity golf tournament, which was held at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. on Sept. 7.
At the event, the US LBM Foundation presented a $300,000 contribution to the Gary Sinise Foundation. The donation will be used to support the Gary Sinise Foundation’s R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment) program, which builds specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans. Participating in this year’s tournament was retired U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Nick Kimmel, who lost an arm and both his legs in Afghanistan, and received an adapted smart home from the Gary Sinise Foundation in 2016.
Additional beneficiaries of this year’s event include Puppies & Golf, which advocates for dogs in need of companionship, the Langer Family Foundation, which works to support and strengthen families, and the U.S. Adaptive Golf Alliance, which is focused on inclusion and accessibility in golf for disabled players.
Special guests at this year’s tournament included PGA pro Erik Barnes and US LBM brand ambassadors and pro golfers Bernhard Langer and Nelly Korda. Korda also participated in a conversation about her career hosted by CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis-Renner. Joining in the conversation was Sophia Howard, whose father is a US LBM associate, and has been mentored by Korda and recently participated in the USGA Adaptive Open, a showcase for the world’s best golfers with disabilities.
The event concluded with a performance by actor Gary Sinise and his Lt. Dan Band for event attendees and several area veterans. The band is named after Sinise’s character Lt. Dan Taylor in the film “Forrest Gump.”