Last Minute, but Lasting Impact at the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial

by Rebecca Lawson, Gift Planning Officer, American Red Cross North Texas Region

Craig Nicholson, Chairman of the Charity Committee
at the Colonial presents a check to Red Cross Regional
CEO TD Smyers

As one of Fort Worth’s biggest annual events prepared to tee off, its neighboring communities of Granbury and Cleburne were hit by not one, but 19 tornadoes. Just a few days later, the unimaginable destruction continued as Oklahoma got hit hard as well. 

The Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, commonly referred to as simply the “Colonial,” is the PGA Tour’s longest running event held at the same site. And though its 2013 plans were long since finalized, Colonial’s Charity Committee, which supports a number of charitable initiatives each year, wanted to do something even more – to help its neighboring communities at a time of great need. So at the last minute, they reached out to partner with the American Red Cross this year to assist in disaster relief efforts.

Craig Nicholson, the Chariman for the Charity Committee for Colonial, spoke passionately about the Tournament’s proud history of charitable initiatives: “The tournament supports the community in many ways besides showcasing top professional golfers every May… Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial is much more than just a golf tournament.” Numerous Tarrant County charities benefit from the Tournament’s legacy of philanthropy each year, including Cook Children’s Hospital and The First Tee, as well as support of the local military community.

With the devastation in local communities from the tornadoes, it made sense to reach out to partner with the Red Cross as well. “This was a new event this year and was literally put together on Tuesday of Tournament Week. OUTSTANDING SUCCESS! Patrons of the tournament reached in to their pockets and extended a helping hand to those in need.” The efforts on Tournament Weekend – including multiple collection stations, amazing volunteers and publicity by Colonial and a number of the tournament’s competitors – raised over $64,000 for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief fund.

North Texas Region CEO T.D. Smyers added his gratitude: "We at the American Red Cross are extremely appreciative of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial's generosity, and are proud to receive this donation on behalf of the thousands it will help recover from the devastation of recent tornadoes. The philanthropic legacy of this tournament is a proud one, and we're happy to become part of it."

For the latest information on all of the Red Cross’s response efforts, including how you can help, visit redcross.org.   

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A Coke Will Do: Small Pieces of Comfort Delivered in Granbury, Texas

by Tonya Solis-Mosby, volunteer contributor

Sometimes in disaster it’s a small thing that gives you the push to go on, like a cold soft drink. That’s what Fay Adams wanted as she worked in 90-degree weather with her daughter, Cynthia Burns, to pick up the pieces of her daughter’s life after a devastating tornado struck the Rancho Brazos community of Granbury two weeks ago.

As American Red Cross workers passed the structure that was once Burns’ house, they offered Gatorade or water. While Burns accepted water, Mrs. Adams said she’d “do anything” for a soft drink. Anita Foster, chief communications officer, went to her vehicle for personal bag where she retrieved a Coke Zero. 

“You’re a woman after my own heart,” Adams said as a smile began to cross her face for the first time that day.

Burns was one of many residents of the community who was at home when the storm hit. She described the night as “horrifying,” adding that she and her husband were in their bedroom when the bedroom wall was ripped away exposing them to the outside elements. 

“I crawled to the bathroom,” she said. “He was trying to come but he couldn’t because something fell on him.” She said before the wall was blown away, she was holding their pet Chihuahua who jumped from her arms when the wall broke. The dog ran outside. She said they later found the deceased dog under a tree limb in the front yard.

In the two weeks since the tornado outbreak that also hit Cleburne and other areas in North Texas, the Red Cross has provided 176 overnight stays at shelters for displaced residents, served nearly 30,000 meals and snacks and distributed more than 10,000 relief items such as work gloves, rakes & trash bags. Additionally, licensed Red Cross disaster mental health counselors have had more than 650 conversations with residents to help them cope. The people of Rancho Brazos are still hurting, but they’re feeling the support of the Red Cross and others around them who want to reach out in ways that mean comfort and hope, be it a warm hug or a cold bottle of Coke.

Nearly 240 Red Cross disaster workers have worked on the relief operation in North Texas and hundreds more continue to work in Oklahoma. If you would like to help, you can make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief today. Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give a $10 donation that will be charged to your cellphone bill. You can also call 1-800-RED-CROSS or donate online at redcross.org. 

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