Women's foundation 'Circle' raises $70,000
Advertiser Staff
There were two goals when the Hawai'i State Women's Golf Foundation was still just a gleam in an eye and nonprofit status was months away: Raise $50,000 and make a difference in the growth of women's golf.
Already, that first goal has had to be amended. In its initial push, the HSWGF secured more than $70,000 from a "Founders' Circle" of 14 individuals and nine businesses.
The HSWGF was designed to be the fund-raising arm of the Hawai'i State Women's Golf Association, which does not have nonprofit status. It was born 1 1/2 years ago when attorneys and accountants agreed to volunteer their talents to achieve nonprofit 501 C-3 status.
That application was accepted May 9 and a volunteer board was formed. One co-chair is Lily Yao, vice chairwoman of First Hawaiian Bank's Government/Community Relations, and the 1999 State Senior Women's champion. The other co-chair is Bev Kim, whose family owns Hawai'i Insulation and who won her first State Match Play title in 1971 and her latest 25 years later.
The board envisions creating an organization that will help educate female golfers and enhance their talent and enjoyment, no matter what their skill level. It also wants to help cut the prohibitive costs of the game for Hawai'i golfers traveling to the Mainland.
The recent influx of exceptional juniors has only put the organization's mission more in focus.
"You see how many talented youngsters we have," Yao said. "We want to help those in need with their travel expenses and goals and put Hawai'i on the national map."
There is a grant and scholarship committee that hopes to help pay for as many as a dozen travel grants annually to USGA national tournaments. Not coincidentally, a dozen letters from juniors requesting help with travel costs already are in the hands of the committee.
The foundation now shares space and a phone (589-2046) with the HSWGA. Eventually, it will move beyond its successful Founders' Circle — still accepting members and money — to take donations from anyone interested in helping Hawai'i women golf.
The revised initial monetary goal is $100,000.
Members of the Founders' Circle: BusinessesiFirst Hawaiian Foundation, Waikoloa Beach Resort, AIG Hawaii, Verizon Hawaii, Territorial Savings & Loan Association, Kobayashi Development Group LLC, United Airlines, Watanabe, Ing & Kawashima, and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. IndividualsiChing Ming Wang, Sharon Weiner, Lydia Tsui, Diane Plotts, Lily K. Yao, Bev Kim, Linda Johnston, Maud Chang, Ann Wills, Kathy Ordway, Sally Harper, Maggie Giesenhagen, Claire Simpson, and one anonymous.
