CHALLENGE ASPEN WRAPS UP ITS “SUMMER OF GOLF”

Aspen, Colo. (September 2, 2009) – Aspen/Snowmass residents and summer guests, supporters and participants spent more than just a few brilliant Colorado days on area golf courses this summer doing what they love most, giving and supporting Challenge Aspen at the Vince Gill & Amy Grant Golf Classic and the Challenge Aspen Open.

Fred Funk set the tone for an exciting and successful Vince Gill & Amy Grant Golf Classic with a heart-stopping US Senior Open win the day prior to the event. The tournament was supported by more than 300 golfers in attendance, including sports and television celebrities Gregory Itzin of television hits “The Mentalist” and “24,” former NY Yankee Dennis Rasmussen, ski legend Andy Mill, former NFL player Ed Podilak and PGA pros Dennis Watson, Bob Gilder, and Chris Starkjohann. Continuing his winning ways, it was Fred Funk and his team of Andy Disabatino, Muffy Disabatino, Megan Disabatino and Sean Bresnan that won this year’s Golf Classic.

The Vince Gill & Amy Grant Golf Classic is one of Challenge Aspen’s most popular and successful annual fundraisers, this year sending live and silent auction winners to New York City, London, southern California, Napa and the Nashville home of Vince Gill and Amy Grant. Other highlights of the two-day golfing event came from service women who were in Aspen/Snowmass with the very first Challenge Aspen Military Opportunities (C.A.M.O.) program specifically designed for injured servicewomen. The courageous servicewomen in attendance were honored at the Monday night concert hosted by Vince and Amy. In addition, the PGA Pro Clinic was a big hit this year, presented by Mike Ziegler and Fred Funk and including inspirational words and golf skills from triple amputee Iraq veteran, Joey Bozik, and disabled players Dan Cox and Dennis Murray.

Challenge Aspen's "summer of golf" continued with the first ever Challenge Aspen Open, headlined by skiing legend Bode Miller, played at River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale, Colorado. The Challenge Aspen Open helped to raise funds for the February 27 - March 5 IPC World Cup Finals 2010, which will be hosted and organized by the Challenge Aspen Competition Program in Aspen.

Players in the Challenge Aspen Open joined Bode Miller and members of the Challenge Aspen Competition Team, including Paralympic hopeful Heath Calhoun, on the greens for a day of raucous fun. Contests for the day included the standard "closest-to-the-pin" and "longest-drive" competitions as well as a fierce battle for "best dressed" and "worst team."

At tournament's end, players and guests enjoyed beverages from Tommyknocker Brewery and the Aspen Brewing Company, BBQ from the Hickory House, and incredible live entertainment by Alpine World Cup skier Bryon Friedman.

Challenge Aspen wishes to thank all who participated in this summer’s golf events by attending, donating, sponsoring or volunteering. For the Golf Classic, a special thanks goes to Aspen Golf Club, Aspen Meadows Resort, Dancing Bear Aspen, City of Aspen, Aspen Department of Recreation, The Aspen Times, KSPN/KNFO, Zheng Bistro, LuLu Wilson, 39 Degrees and Snowmass Bakery & Café. For the Open, special thanks goes to Destination Holdings, River Valley Ranch Golf Club and Crown Golf.