The annual Cassia Golf Tournament on August 29, 2023, was all about supporting spiritual life, and it did so in a big way.
More than 150 sponsors, vendors, business partners and Cassia staff gathered at Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove and raised more than $220,000.
Unreal Conditions for Golfers
This was the first time Cassia has hosted a golf tournament at Rush Creek.
“We elevated the experience of the event to make sure it felt good,” Cassia Vice President of Philanthropy Matt Crawford says.
Cassia Director of Grants and Events Chris Hinnenkamp elaborated on that statement.
“It’s certainly not a course people golf often,” Chris says. “To get a tee time is a great experience. The conditions are unreal. Everything about that course is stunning. It’s a treat to play there. The course was great to work with. Being able to get into Rush Creek, for one, and play a round there is not common.”
Supporting Spiritual Life
Golf tournament proceeds help develop chaplaincy programs in sites that do not have them. Funds also help Cassia and site leadership expand existing programming by providing resources for development of residents’ worship experience.
Funds go toward resources needed to deepen and enrich ministries in communities. Examples include Bible studies, one-on-one spiritual visits and worship for residents. Chaplains also receive training and clinical certification paid with golf tournament proceeds.
Cassia would not be able to provide the spiritual life programming that residents have come to expect without these funds. Instead, they would be underserved in this category.
The tournament makes the Chaplain to Go program possible. This program allows a chaplain to visit various sites that do not have their own chaplain.
In another instance, a community’s part-time chaplain was able to return to full-time hours.
Funds may make chapel improvements possible at some communities, as well.
Grateful Hearts
Golfers had the opportunity to meet chaplains, who shared about their work and expressed gratitude for the support.
“We are grateful for all those who joined us for the day,” Chris says. “Your committed partnership with Cassia throughout the year, coupled with your generous support of our mission through your sponsorship of this event, shows the dedication of all our partners.”
Cassia Vice Presidents of Spiritual Life David Juve and Sarah Ciavarri echoed that sentiment.
“We are very thankful for your support of our mission,” they say. “For us, it demonstrates your care and love for humanity in this phase of life and your belief in the mission that we have, to ‘foster fullness of life in the spirit of Christ’s love.’ You help us bring a strong, Christ-centered faith dynamic to our campuses. Through prayer, we seek to steward these funds for God’s greatest good. Thank you.”
