MI Foundation Raises Over $1M for Charity at Annual Golf Outing
With the support of suppliers, customers, team members, and additional business partners, MI and Milgard Windows & Doors raised a record $1.4 million for charity at this year's annual MI Foundation Charity Golf Outing. The MI Foundation also provided funding for 600,000 meals, which will be distributed to food banks located in communities throughout the country where MI operates manufacturing facilities.
Originally scheduled to be an in-person event in Hershey, Pennsylvania, the MI Foundation transitioned the 22nd annual event to a virtual format around COVID-19 safety concerns. "We challenged ourselves to create an event that kept our 22-year tradition alive," says Matt DeSoto, MI CEO. "Based on the results, I'd say the team executed to perfection."
Throughout the weeklong event, guests took to the links at various courses across the country. Just two days before the golfers stepped into their spikes, the online auction began, auctioning off items such as a tour of Andretti Autosport's headquarters in Indianapolis, paintings by Pittsburgh-based speed painter Cody Sabol, artwork crafted by pediatric cancer patients, and more.
The auction closed the day after the virtual dinner party. As part of the festivities, Netflix star Justin Willman put on a magic show, and, through the computer, guests prepared a surf and turf alongside Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli.
Guests enjoyed wine from Sky Devil Wines in Napa Valley and cannoli from Caputo Brothers Creamery in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania. Sky Devil Wines donated limited edition three-liter bottles of their wine, raising over $25,000. Caputo Brothers made a donation to breast cancer research for each dessert box that was sent to MI Foundation attendees.
This was the second straight year that the Charitable Golf Outing raised over $1 million. MI Windows absorbs the costs of running this event so that every dollar received goes toward charitable efforts. This year, the event included 41 sponsors and 284 attendees.
"All in all, it was a fun, diverse, and safe event," said Amanda Klinger, co-chair of the event with Robert Savidge. "We hope we can all get together in 2021 for our 23rd golf outing. But if not, we'll be prepared."
