Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy Students Win from Donationsby Renee Burrell
(Portrait courtesy of the Academy) CLEARWATER - Outback Steakhouse representatives, including co-founder Bob Basham, presented The Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy with a check for eighty thousand dollars Wednesday, October 29. The Academy was one of five beneficiaries sharing in the proceeds from Outback's 2008 Pro-Am Golf Champions Tour event. All totaled, The Pro-Am has contributed over $3 million to area charities since Outback became the title sponsor five years ago. The funds from Outback Steakhouse will allow the Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy to enroll more students and expand their programming. The cornerstone of the program is to help Pinellas County School District elementary students grades 4-8 by improving their academics in tandem with improving their self-esteem and character through lessons learned on the golf course and associated with the game's challenges. Upcoming fundraising events are on the horizon to further help the Academy help the children of Pinellas. Frank Ingo, the Academy's Special Projects Manager, explains, "The vision for the Academy is to reach struggling children early and teach positive values connected with the game of golf, such as patience, discipline, determination and respect for others." The Academy is a Pinellas County District partnership school and serves over 1,000 children each year also through The First Tee of Clearwater, an After School Program partnering with Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Pinellas.
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