On Saturday, June 13, 144 players took to the world-famous, Jack Nicklaus-designed Breckenridge Golf Club for the 38th Annual Summit Foundation Golf Tournament. They came to play, but more than that, they came to make connections, and to see firsthand what philanthropy really looks like in Summit County.

Plenty of nonprofits run a golf tournament as a fundraiser. The Summit Foundation sees it differently. To us, 18 holes is an opportunity to connect players to our community purpose, a chance to show that this is not just a game of strokes, but a game of people. Every dollar raised follows a path: to a student stepping into the workforce, to a neighbor finding stable footing, and to food on the table for families facing hunger right here in our county.

The trophy that tells the story

You could see that idea in this year's awards, which were not ordered from a catalog. They were forged by hand by students in the Summit High School welding program. Those students learn their craft through Career and Technical Education, a hands-on path the Summit Foundation helps fund through its Bright Futures program with the support of local donors.

So the trophy a winner lifted this year began as an idea in a high school welding shop, shaped by a young person learning a trade close to home. A gift from neighbors became opportunity for a student, and that opportunity circled back to the whole community. We like to call it going from the iron to the ball.

A gathering with deep roots

Presented by Breckenridge Grand Vacations, the tournament began decades ago as the Steve Watson Celebrity Tournament, when Summit County locals teed off alongside sports stars and even astronauts. The famous names have faded, but the purpose has only grown. For the 12th year, the event also celebrated the life and philanthropy of Rob Millisor, a longtime trustee and one of this community's most generous hearts, whose spirit lives on through RAM Legacy in Action, a community-wide day of service held in his honor.

Since 1984, this has been the Summit Foundation's work: to enrich and improve the lives of the people and community we serve. Summit County is filled with amazing opportunities to enjoy. But not everyone who lives here gets to experience them the same way. When we all care, we can all make a difference.

The friendly competition

As for the golf, here is how the day shook out. The flight winners were Sticks and Chicks, Summit High School, Snowblind Friends, IMEG, iFurnish, and the team from Vail Resorts and Epic Promise. On the course, Jack Tobias took Longest Drive, Nick Borovich claimed Longest Putt, and Tim Tholen landed Closest to the Pin. Congratulations to them, and to everyone who came out for a good cause.

Bigger than a game

One tournament cannot fix everything our community faces. But it can bring people together, raise meaningful support, and remind us that generosity is woven into life here in the mountains. Every swing, every sponsorship, and every volunteer hour adds up to a stronger Summit County.

That is the real prize. And it belongs to all of us.