Cook Cares Foundation raises over $40,000 for local charities

Just over five months ago several businessmen and women sat together in a conference to room to brainstorm ways to start a new business effort. However, this venture was not the typical conversation you would find in a room full of construction and real estate minds. Yet it solidified the company's renew mission statement that building better communities was actually about building better lives.

The results of that conversation was brought to life on Monday October 17th at Royal Lakes Country Club golf course when over 100 golfers, 20 sponsors, and many in-kind participants pulled off the 1st Chipping in for Charity Golf Tournament. Cook Construction and Real Estate reached out to their vendors, partners and friends from around the southeast to culminate on the golf course in Chestnut Mountain, GA. At the end of the day, over $40,000 was raised for two local beneficiaries.

The Charities

SS Revolution Ministries’ Backpack Love program and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in care of the local Benchmark to Kona team where named as the two beneficiaries of the event. Both organizations support local efforts to give back to children in the community.

SS Revolution Ministries’ Backpack Love program works with organizations in our community to provide food for families weekly through sending out backpacks to children filled with food who would typically only eat while at school. They are currently sending around 300 backpacks a week home with kids who might not eat over the weekend without the food.

The local Benchmark to Kona campaign raises funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) in order to change the face of blood cancer and support efforts to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families which include children in our area. This particular organizaton is near and dear to the heart of one of our business associates Robert Cornett who has first hand experience with the organization. In May of 2012 at the age of two, his daughter Norah was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Two and a half years later, after a long and arduous fight, Norah took her last chometherapy pill. She is now in remission and is a happy and healthy first grader!

The Tournament

Highlights from the day’s play included the AR-15 on hole 3 from Charity Golf Guns that allowed participants to drive the ball using a modified gun instead of a driver. Participants donated over $800 during the day to use the gun and a $20 prize was given to the closest to the target winner.

Greg Swinks, COO for Cook Construction stated that he was impressed by the response that the Cook Cares Foundation received for this first effort. “Many businesses that we work with on a regional level showed up to participate in this event through sponsorship, donations, and most importantly coming out to Royal Lakes to have a good time. Several of the participants drove up for the day from Atlanta and surrounding areas to be a part of an event that is fun for everyone involved.”

Winners from the day’s activities included the 1st Place Team from Rebel Steel featuring David England, Matt McCain, Jason Cheek, and Chris Gaddy with a group score of 52. The 2nd Place team from PSK Document Solutions consisted of Shannon Kent, Andy Todd, Jerry Reeves, and Matt Shuckster. Closest to the Pin was also awarded to Matt Shuckster, Michelle Cook had the longest drive of the day, and Closest to the Target went to Geoff Cook.

The Mission

Keith Cook, the President and CEO of Real Estate, was quite happy with the days results as well and reiterated the mission of the company. “Our company believes that giving back to the kids in our community is a vital part of the success of our area and for future generations. When you invest in kids, they tend to return that investment later in life. We know that building better communities is more than just building the physical buildings — it’s about building a better lives within those communities.”

There is still time

If you didn't make it out to the event, you can still support the two great charities through their own websites or through donations to Cook's partner- North Georgia Community Foundation by designating other and then Cook Cares.

I encourage each of you to take the time and invest in the lives around you by giving back in your own way. Whether that be financially, through mentoring, or simply by taking the time to invest in someone's day. Remember that each one of us matter in life and it maybe that one you invest in that makes a difference in your own life.