Even if golf isn’t your game, you might still want to consider playing some putt-putt for philanthropy at the Second Annual Tin Cup Open mini-golf bar crawl.
The event tees off at noon Saturday, April 8, in downtown Tucson.
“It is great excuse to have fun during the day in the downtown area: We are using the city as a mini-golf course. Our goal is to make this a staple for the community in terms of social events. It also helps us get our organization’s name out there and most importantly, we are raising lots of money for charities,” said Kevin Volk, president of the Men’s Active 20-30 Club.
The local professional and social organization is comprised of men between the ages of 21-39 who are committed to assisting youth through fundraising and volunteering.
Since its inception, the club has donated more than 10,000 hours and $100,000 to numerous charities ranging from the Steele Children’s Research Center and the Educational Enrichment Foundation to Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, for which it recently funded a teen room to serve older members. It has also supported many smaller nonprofits such as Sonoran Glass School Youth Programs, Therapeutic Ranch for Animals and Kids and the Above and Beyond Foundation, which raises funds to provide activities for youths.
“We are always looking to serve as very informal social venture capitalists in that we try to target small organizations for whom our donations have an outsized impact,” Volk said.
This year the club its shifting its funding to a grant model; applications will be accepted throughout the year and grants for beneficiaries will be funded in October. Volk said the club hopes to raise between $5,000 and $10,000 to funnel back into the community at the upcoming fundraiser.
“This is definitely a showcase for downtown bars. We feature a wide range of venues, with everything from the Playground, which has been a great downtown staple to classic Fourth Avenue destinations like O’Malley’s and The Hut. We also have Ermanos, which is in its third year and Hi Fi, a new addition and more of a club. It is just a great way to do a downtown tour for people who haven’t been there for a while,” said Volk.
Just as importantly, Volk said the unique event, which encourages costumes and offers various team awards.
“Mini golf is like bowling: People of different skill levels can have fun doing it. There is an outlet for those who are more competitive as well as for those looking to bring their costumes and energy and sense of adventure to the afternoon,” he said.
