Charity Classic Pro-Am Golf Tournament Raises Over $700,000

Southwest Florida golf enthusiasts recently hit the links as part of The Immokalee Foundation’s 2024 Charity Classic Pro-Am Golf Tournament. The popular charity event included a Pairings Party on Sunday, November 17, and a Pro-Am Tournament on Monday, November 18. Both were held at Bay Colony Golf Club in Naples.

Attendees at Sunday’s Pairings Party had the unique opportunity to be part of a special Q&A with event headliner Jay Haas and golf legend Peter Jacobsen. 

Introduced to golf by his uncle, 1968 Masters Tournament winner Bob Goalby, Jay Haas has played professional golf for 45 years, winning nine (9) times on the PGA Tour and eighteen (18) times on the Champions Tour. Before turning professional, Jay attended Wake Forest University, was the individual NCAA golf champion in 1975, and is a member of the All-American Collegiate Golf Hall of Fame. 

Haas, Jacobsen and 25 more PGA and LPGA golf professionals participated in Monday’s Charity Classic Golf Tournament. Split into 26 teams, local golfers helped The Immokalee Foundation raise over $700,000 to support the immediate educational and professional development needs of over 1,300 students in Immokalee—from kindergarten through postsecondary education.

Local philanthropist Don Fites chaired this year’s event in honor of former Immokalee Foundation board member Peter Negri. Committee members include Joe Abruzzese, Greg DeWitt, Sandra Edwards, Sheila McGonigal, Colleen Nicholson and Louise Penta. 

“As a longtime supporter of The Immokalee Foundation, Peter Negri’s impact is still being felt,” said Noemi Y. Perez. “He played such a powerful role in the Foundation’s growth and development, and we are honored to have hosted this popular annual event in his memory. It was one of his favorites.” 

The funds raised support various Foundation activities, including the nationally recognized Career Pathways program. This comprehensive educational approach prepares students for high-demand, well-paying jobs in four distinct pathways: Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Education & Human Services, Engineering & Construction Management, and Healthcare.

Committee member Colleen Nicholson summarized this highly successful event in seven well-chosen words: “Such a great cause—humbled and grateful.”