Charities reap benefits of Viking Classic

by Wally Northway

Published: March 10,2010

MADISON — Century Club Charities Inc. announced that the 2009 Viking Classic raised $567,641 for local charities, including the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children and the Birdies For Charity program’s 89 participating Mississippi charities.

The United Way of Leflore County was the highest fundraising organization in the Birdies For Charity program. The organization was presented a check for $25,744 that included over $4,500 donated by Century Club Charities through Bonus Bucks at a luncheon hosted by the Viking Classic at Annandale Golf Club March 3.

The Kindness Foundation of Hattiesburg was the second highest, raising $15,416.

The benefiting charities are those who participated in the Birdies For Charity program, the fundraising arm of the Viking Classic. Implemented in 2001, the BFC program has enlisted more than 375 charities and is available for any 501(c)3 organization, church or school in Mississippi. The primary goal of the BFC program is to successfully solicit and collect pledges of at least two cents per birdie based on the number of birdies made at the Viking Classic or a donation of $25 or more. Each charity receives 100 percent of collected pledges and donations.