tKO Cares
What differentiates an elite golfer from a Hyper Elite™ golfer is not the harem of birdies and eagles quilled on to a scorecard but rather the positive impact that they can have on the community they know and love.
With this in mind, tKO Cares was founded in 2016 as our philanthropic arm tapped with identifying and facilitating a sizeable donation to a cause that aligns with our vision and mission at tournaments end.
Funded through a portion of each golfers tournament entry fee, various contests held throughout the weekend, private and corporate donations and a small piece of the proceeds of all merchandise sold, as the field has grown each year, so has our contribution.
2016
Our inaugural recipient was the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, whose goal is to create a voice for the youth of Noble County and involve the youth in the community to better their leadership skills. Through the support of the mayor and our community, the MYAC has the opportunity to raise money for projects that connect all and help make the community a better place in which to live, work and raise a family. In recognition, we were presented with a proclamation from Mayor Handshoe and the City of Kendallville for efforts in the community.
2019
This offseason, one of our very own started a battle off the golf course when he received the news that he had been stricken with testicular cancer. As a seasoned pro facing adversity having faced things far worse like the weather in Kendallville in May, he has approached this head-on with a positive attitude and outlook and as a family, tKO is behind him every step of the way. Knowing this, Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana will be this year’s recipient. Since 1944, Cancer Services has aimed to enhance the quality of life of those affected by cancer by providing meaningful resources, information and compassionate assistance to Kendallville and other surrounding communities..
2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023
Knowing firsthand the impact youth golf programs can have on fostering and cultivating Hyper-Elite™ golfers to the semi-pro and professional ranks (see our field) we partnered with the East Noble High School Boys Golf Team as our sole benefactor and made a donations that provided equipment, transportation to the tournament and apparel. While giving back is always our North Star, we also hoped to enable them with the tools one day join our field as we battle the treacherous 14th at Cobblestone or dare to flirt with an approach on the 6th at Noble Hawk.
To learn more about our community partners and how you can get involved with their efforts today, please reach out to Pete Levine, our community outreach lead. As The Kendallville Open is built on a foundation of strong partnerships with internationally-recognized community organizations which continue to positively impact lives around the world any support you can provide is greatly appreciated.