Farmers Insurance Group of Companies® the title sponsor of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, is turning great golf swings into healthier beginnings for all babies. Farmers will make a donation to the March of Dimes for every “birdie” every “eagle” and every “hole-in-one” made during tournament play in the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament on Saturday January 30, 2010, and Sunday January 31, 2010.
Farmers is the second largest fund-raiser for the March of Dimes nationwide, raising $4.8 million dollars in 2009. Farmers’ annual “Be A Hero for Babies” day holds the record as the largest single-day fund-raiser in March of Dimes history, raising more than $2.6 million dollars in 2009.
“To be able to combine great golf and an even better cause is a true hole-in-one for all of us at Farmers,” said Bob Woudstra, Chief Executive Officer of Farmers Insurance Group, Inc. “We hope every golfer brings his best game to the course in support of ending premature births.”
Farmers will donate $100 dollars for every birdie made $1,000 dollars for every eagle made, and $100,000 dollars for every hole-in-one made during Saturday’s and Sunday’s tournament play on behalf of Farmers Insurance and the Century Club.
“The Century Club is very excited and grateful to have Farmers Insurance as our partner for the 2010 tournament in San Diego," said Tom Wornham, President of the Century Club. "Their creative Birdies for Babies benefitting the March of Dimes supports with our mission statement which is to generate charitable contributions through our tournament activities. This program also emulates the PGA TOUR ‘Giving Back’ message in which their tournaments generate over $100 million to charity annually.”
All the money donated on behalf of the Century Club to the March of Dimes will support urgently-needed research and education to help stem the growing crisis of premature birth, the leading cause of newborn death in the U.S.
“The March of Dimes is thrilled to be a part of the Farmers Insurance Open,” said Jane Massey, Chief Operating Officer of the March of Dimes. “Farmers continues to demonstrate how much it cares about its local communities.” Massey continued, “With the money raised, the March of Dimes will be able to fund programs such as NICU Family Support™, which brings hope and comfort to families with a baby in neonatal intensive care units.”
If you would like to make your own “Birdie for Babies” you can donate online, or via text message. Log onto www.farmersinsuranceopen.com or www.Farmers.com and look for the “Birdies for Babies” button, or text “baby” to 20222 to donate $5 dollars to the March of Dimes. Farmers will match any donation made on-line, via text, or at the tournament up to $100,000 dollars.
About Farmers Insurance Group
Farmers is a trade name and may refer to Farmers Group, Inc. or the Farmers Exchanges, as the case may be. Farmers Group, Inc., a management and holding company, along with its subsidiaries, is wholly owned by the Zurich Financial Services Group. The Farmers Exchanges are three reciprocal insurers (Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange and Truck Insurance Exchange), including their subsidiaries and affiliates, owned by their policyholders, and managed by Farmers Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information about Farmers, visit our Web site at www.farmers.com.
Farmers Group, Inc. is a management and holding company, which along with its subsidiaries is wholly owned by the Zurich Financial Services Group. The Farmers Exchanges are managed, but not owned by Farmers Group, Inc. The Zurich Financial Services Group has been a long-time sponsor of the PGA TOUR's Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Just as Zurich stepped up proving its commitment to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, Farmers proved its commitment to San Diego following the series of wildfires in recent years.
About the Century Club of San Diego
In addition to organizing The Farmers Insurance Open, The Century Club plays a significant role in supporting other golf related projects and activities in the San Diego community, bringing an economic impact of $25-$30 million annually to the city.
With proceeds from the tournament, the Century Club is the primary supporter of San Diego Junior Golf Association, honored by Golf Digest as one of the outstanding Junior Golf Associations in the country, and a principal sponsor of the Pro Kids Golf Academy, Boys and Girls Clubs of San Diego, YMCA, and high school sports.
Proceeds from the tournament also support other charities in the community, most of them youth-oriented in their purpose. Since 1968, the Century Club and its affiliated corporate title sponsors have combined to donate over $7 million to over 80 local charities.
About the PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is the world’s premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, co-sanctioning more than 100 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour. The PGA TOUR’s mission is to entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and economic impact in communities in which it plays, and provide financial opportunities for TOUR players. In 2010, the three Tours collectively have tournaments in 34 states and in 12 countries outside of the U.S. PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to nearly 600 million households in 231 countries and 30 languages.
Virtually all tournaments are organized as nonprofit organizations in order to maximize charitable giving. In 2009, tournaments on the three Tours generated nearly $109 million for local charitable organizations, bringing the TOUR’s all-time total of charitable contributions to nearly $1.5 billion.
The PGA TOUR's web site is pgatour.com, the No. 1 site in golf, and the company is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.