HOPE FOR THE CHILDREN GOLF TOURNAMENT RAISES MORE THAN $1 MILLION FOR CHILDREN SURVIVORS OF TSUNAMI
Efforts of Scottsdale real estate developer exceed original goal; Mission of Mercy Organization to benefit from Seven Canyons event
Scottsdale, AZ The heavens in Sedona cried this weekend, but thanks to the generosity of 44 golfers and a large number of others who gave from their hearts, Scottsdale businessman Dave Cavan reached his goal. In spite of a cool, cloudy and rainy day on Friday (Feb. 18) and a total "washout" on Saturday (Feb. 19), organizers and participants were all smiles when the final numbers were tallied. When the event was announced only five short weeks ago, many believed it would be next to impossible to attract 50 golfers willing to donate $20,000 to raise $1 million to aid young Sri Lankan children impacted by December's devastating Tsunami. But Cavan, president of Scottsdale-based Cavan Real Estate Investments, never wavered in his efforts to "do something very special." In the end, the two-day event at the exclusive club at Seven Canyons in Sedona, raised a total of more than the $1 million goal for the Mission of Mercy, a Christian relief and development agency that has been working in Sri Lanka since 1998 on 37 projects that profoundly touch the lives of more than 3,000 children.
The exact amount of money raised by the tournament has not been determined, as additional donations are still being received, Cavan said. One-hundred percent of the money raised from the tournament will go to the Mission of Mercy, with no administrative fees or "carve-outs." "Thanks to the efforts of many people, we succeeded in meeting our goal," a proud Cavan said. "Not only did we meet our goal of raising at least $1 million for the children of Southeast Asia, but we proved that Americans - and Arizonans - truly care truly about the less fortunate all over the world." The tournament attracted players from as far away as New York, Chicago and other major markets who wanted to play a small role in the Herculean effort. "Our business partners, investors, members of Seven Canyons and Cavan employees stepped up and delivered," Cavan said. "Many of us are still numb from the shock of seeing the coverage of the devastation and loss of life in Southeast Asia," Cavan said, "and we were asking ourselves how we can help. The call went out and some of our closest business associates and community leaders stepped up. One hundred percent of the proceeds went directly to the Mission of Mercy in its efforts to assist the children in Sri Lanka whose lives were shattered by this horrific event." Cavan said his goal of attracting 50 players willing to donate $20,000 each to play in the event seemed "pretty aggressive in the beginning, but as word about the tournament spread we were amazed at the public's generosity." With more than 50,000 reported casualties in Sri Lanka alone, the Mission of Mercy will utilize the funds from the tournament to offer refuge to thousands of orphaned children. Mission of Mercy will utilize funds from the tournament to: establish two new village style orphanages in the eastern and southern parts of the country; improve basic services, including water, sanitation, basic education, child safety, nutrition and shelter; rebuild nine schools and 107 homes of Children of Mercy youth that were either severely damaged or destroyed; and establish long-term orphan care and trauma counseling.
Reliable reports from Sri Lanka indicate that nine of the Mission of Mercy's projects in the country were either completely destroyed or severely damaged from the tsunami. It has been confirmed that 92 children in Mission of Mercy projects in Sri Lanka were killed. "While I have been involved in a number of charitable events over the years, I have never seen a response quite like this," Cavan said. "To think that we could raise more than $1 million in less than six weeks without any formal collateral materials or promotional campaign is absolutely unbelievable. The credit needs to go to the players, a host of volunteers, and 12 individuals who made substantial donations of more than $20,000 each." Cavan said donations ranged from $11.33 from an eight-year-old girl who raised the money herself, to a donation of $150,000 by a member of Seven Canyons. Another $10,000 was raised from the auctioning of a 1999 Team U.S.A. Ryder Cup shirt signed by Captain Ben Crenshaw that was won by Astor Stave, a Phoenix businessman. Perhaps John Langbein, partner in Phoenix-based Elite Axis and a participant in the tournament, summed up the weekend when he said, "I have had the luxury of playing in a number of events, but this was something special. It wasn't about golf. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a small impact on people who really need our help. While the rain may have interfered with the golf, it didn't detract from a marvelous outpouring that will have a dramatic impact on many young lives." The Mission of Mercy was founded in 1954 in Calcutta, India and has expanded to 21 countries on four continents and reaches more than 75,000 children. Seven Canyons, a development of Cavan Real Estate Investments, is an exclusive private destination club, named as one of the Top 10 New Private Courses in America in 2004 by Golf Digest Magazine. Seven Canyons is surrounded by more than 100,000 acres of National Forest and blends the best of a private club lifestyle with the sophisticated amenities of a five-star resort.
Additional information on Cavan Real Estate Investments, Seven Canyons or Mission of Mercy can be obtained by calling Cavan Real Estate Investments at 480-627-7000, Ext. 108.