The Ace Hardware Foundation Announces Retired Chicago Cubs Great Kerry Wood to Headline 2020 Celebrity Golf Invitational
Annual event has raised over $3.6 million in the last four years for Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago
The Ace Hardware Foundation is excited to announce that retired Chicago Cub, Kerry Wood, will be the headliner of the newly named tournament, Ace presents the Kerry Wood Celebrity Golf Invitational. With the support of Ace Hardware and the generosity of their vendor partners, this event benefiting the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago has raised over $3.6 million in the last four years. The highly anticipated golf tournament raised $1 million in 2019 alone. Held at the prestigious Medinah Country Club in Medinah, IL, this unique event brings together a variety of professional athletes, entertainers and top Ace Hardware vendor partners.
“We’re thrilled to team up with Chicago’s very own Kerry Wood on this fun event and worthy cause to help raise funds for Lurie Children’s,” said Kane Calamari, President of The Ace Hardware Foundation. “Like Ace, Kerry has a long history of giving back to local communities and supporting children with his family foundation which makes him the perfect headliner for the celebrity golf invitational.”
Wood quickly became a fan favorite and legend in Chicago soon after his MLB debut with the Chicago Cubs in 1998. During his first season with the Chicago Cubs, Wood received the Jackie Robinson National Rookie of the Year Award. During his rookie year, Wood struck out a total of 233 batters in his 26 starts, including a remarkable 20 strikeout game against the Houston Astros on May 6, 1998, tying the MLB record for most strikeouts in a single game. Wood continued his career with the Chicago Cubs through 2008, and then pitched briefly for the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees.
Wood returned to the Chicago Cubs in 2011 to fulfill his desire to keep his family in Chicago. On May 18, 2012 Wood announced he was retiring from the game after what had been an astonishing and record-breaking career.
“I am humbled and honored to partner with The Ace Hardware Foundation to put on this incredible event, supporting the important work Lurie Children's does for children across the country, and my foundation's programming in Chicago's schools. This tournament has always been a powerful day. I'm looking forward to welcoming so many friends to join me on the course and to meeting all of the special families and children from Lurie Children's this work benefits. Let's make this the most successful event yet!”
Kerry, his wife Sarah, and their Wood Family Foundation have supported Lurie Children’s in the past through the Kerry and Sarah Wood and Wood Family Foundation Play Room.
To learn more about The Ace Hardware Foundation visit: https://acehardwarefoundation.org/about-us/
Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world with more than 5,200 locally owned and operated hardware stores in approximately 70 countries. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries operate an expansive network of distribution centers in the U.S. and have distribution capabilities in Ningbo, China; Colon, Panama; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Since 1924, Ace has become a part of local communities around the world and known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit acehardware.com or newsroom.acehardware.com.
