YOU’RE INVITED TO THE CAN’T-MISS EVENT OF THE YEAR! Trevor Denman, Sugar Shane Mosley, Frank Hamblen, Al Downing, Etc. Set to Play in Sowing Seeds’ Golf Tournament

September 18, 2011
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Imagine this: A charity golf tournament that attracts not one, not two, not three but four of the men on the list of the 50 greatest players in the history of the NBA. And that’s not all. Also present were three Dodger legends, an NCAA basketball championship-winning coach, a Rose Bowl-winning quarterback and other notables from the world of sports.

 

Shane Mosley has squared off many great fighters, including Manny Pacquiao.

Shane Mosley, in baby blue trunks, has squared off against many great fighters, including Manny Pacquiao.

 

Sowing Seeds for Life event at Sierra La Verne Thursday will also feature other celebrities and a unique hole-in-one prize – use of a private jet that seats 12.

 

That sums up the second annual Sowing Seeds for Life tournament held last October at Sierra La Verne Country Club.

The third annual Sowing Seeds tournament is scheduled for this Thursday at Sierra La Verne with another star-studded lineup.

Legendary horse racing announcer Trevor Denman of San Dimas, who rarely makes public appearances, boxer Sugar Shane Mosley of Pomona, who won titles in three weight divisions, former Laker assistant coach Frank Hamblen, a legendary figure in the basketball world who also worked alongside former Lakers head coach Phil Jackson in Chicago, have all agreed to take part in a sports roundtable panel. Another panelist will be former Dodger pitcher Al
Downing, who also played in last year’s tournament.

Not only that, but the tournament is also offering a unique hole-in-one prize — the use of Gulfstream GII private jet that seats 12 for a trip to such places as Las Vegas, Napa Valley or San Francisco.

Normally, the entry fee for such a tournament would be at least $500. But for the bargain price of $200 ($750 for a foursome), you too can rub shoulders with sports celebrities and, following tournament play, can also hear them be interviewed by a veteran sports journalist. You’ll have lots of amazing stories to tell your friends.

 

Legendary race tracker announcer Trevor Denman plans to give dinner attendee a bird's-eye view of some of the great races he's called over the years.

Legendary race tracker announcer Trevor Denman plans to give dinner attendees a bird's-eye view of some of the great races he's called over the years.

 

Last year’s tournament featured NBA legends Jerry West, James Worthy, Elgin Baylor and Bill Sharman, plus former Dodgers Bill Russell, Tommy Davis and Downing. Also on hand were former UCLA basketball coach Jim Harrick, UCLA football and basketball play-by-play announcer Chris Roberts, a Glendora resident, and his broadcast partner, former quarterback Matt Stevens, who led UCLA to a victory over Iowa in the 1987 Rose Bowl.

Roberts will return and handle the live auction during post-tournament festivities.

Sharman and possibly Baylor are also coming back.

Bill Dwyre of San Dimas, former sports editor of the Los Angeles Times who is now a columnist for the newspaper, did an outstanding job of moderating last year’s sports panel and will be back if his schedule allows him to be. If not, longtime Times columnist Larry Stewart, a member of the Sowing Seeds for Life tournament committee, will serve as the moderator.

Last year, West, Worthy, Harrick and Russell sat down for a 40-minute sports panel discussion conducted by Dwyre and captivated the audience. You could hear a pin drop.

The panel discussion went on and on, and at one point Dwyre asked tournament coordinator Tim Haas if he should wrap things up. “No, no,” Haas said. “You can go on forever.” The audience, hanging on every word, applauded. They wanted more.

Haas later told the audience, “I’ve been involved with charity golf tournament for more than 25 years. You’d be lucky to find one in 500 like this one.”

Another positive about this tournament is the charity it benefits. Sowing Seeds for Life is a nonprofit that provides food for people in difficult situations. Sowing Seeds for Life (SSFL) began distributing food in December 2007 to some 100 people a month in the La Verne area and now serves more than 6,000 a month.

The driving force behind Sowing Seeds and the tournament is Vicki Brown, the charity’s CEO as well as the CEO of DPI Labs, a prominent multimillion La Verne aerospace company.

Brown will be honored at this year’s tournament for all she has done for the community. Brownliterally planted the seeds that grew the charity and the tournament. Sowing Seeds For Life started out as a backyard garden project. “I’m just proud to be the one who watches all this happen,” she says modestly.

It is her hard work and dedication and her connections to the right people that has enabled her to accomplish so much. She is the one who assembled an energetic tournament committee headed by co-chairmen Tim Grant and Al Snow. Another key member is Greg DeSmet, the founder of DPI Labs.

This year’s best-ball scramble tournament will again have a noon shotgun start.

Haas, the president of Tournament Golf & Travel, coordinated the first two SSFL tournaments and has been brought back to again take care of details and make sure everything goes smoothly.

Haas points out everyone can help with this project and help families in need of a good meal. “Putting together a foursome is one way but also contact friends, relatives and business associates – everyone you know – and let them know about this great event,” he said.

Even non-golfers can contribute, Haas noted.

“Be an event sponsor, purchase a tee or green sign, make a donation, donate a raffle or auction prize, purchase a
helicopter golf ball drop ticket,” he said.

At least a portion of most donations is tax deductible.

For further information, go to www.sowingseedsforlife.org or contact Vicki Brown at 909-392-5777, ext. 213. Her e-mail address is vbrown@sowingseedsforlife.org. Also,Haas can be reached at 909-261-9617 or timhaastournamentgolf@yahoo.com.

Check out the Sowing Seeds For Life Celebrity Golf Tournament for Charity video on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7toakpe5u8

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