- Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge
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The Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge, or NB3 Challenge, is a charitable golf event taking place at Atunyote Golf Club at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Oneida, New York on August 26, 2008. This year's tournament featured a skins game format, featuring PGA Tour players Notah Begay III, Stewart Cink, Vijay Singh, Camilo Villegas and Mike Weir. All proceeds benefitted the Notah Begay III Foundation for the creation and delivery of sustainable athletic programming for Native American youth.
The NB3 Challenge served as the Foundation’s first national event and will be played annually, with the 2009 NB3 Challenge already slated for August 2009.
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Notah Begay III Foundation
In 2005, Notah Begay III, a four-time PGA Tour winner and the only full-blooded Native American PGA Tour player, established the Notah Begay III Foundation. It is a federally recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization designed to provide sustainable health and wellness programs for Native American youth. Recognizing the lack of sustainable programming for youth within Tribal communities, Begay established the Foundation to deliver youth sports activities in tribal communities in the form of golf and soccer programs.
A First for Indian Country
This golf tournament is a first of its kind, entirely funded and operated by Indian Nations (title sponsors include San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians of California and Oneida Indian Nation of New York) and will support Begay's mission of bringing Native American people together to benefit Indian youth. The NB3 Challenge further demonstrates how tribes are coming together to help improve the country's economy, create jobs and educate the nation’s first people. Additionally, the tournament allows tribes who have experienced economic prosperity with an opportunity to give back to their communities where help is needed most – among Native children growing up on reservations.
Youth Programs Benefit from the Challenge
Today, Native American youth on reservations are faced with increased rates of obesity, diabetes, drug abuse and overall poor health as a result of the lack of health and wellness programs and funding available in many of their communities. Notah established his Foundation to serve as a catalyst for bringing about change for youth in Indian Country through the creation of soccer and golf programs.
The Foundation's soccer program allows approximately 150 Native American youth from the San Felipe Pueblo to participate on one of 16 different teams for a 10 game season within their community. The current golf program focuses on teaching Native American youth the game of golf in addition to teaching the principles of honesty and integrity that are part of the game.
While the programs have been a success in getting kids active, the goal for the Foundation is to introduce and establish the programs within tribal communities across the country, and in turn, encourage the tribes to run the programs and maintain the facilities themselves. With the funds raised through the NB3 Challenge, Begay hopes to provide reservations across the country with the resources necessary to establish and sustain these important programs benefiting Native American youth.
Winners
- 2010 Christie Kerr and Hunter Mahan
- 2009 Tiger Woods
- 2008 Camilo Villegas
External links
Categories:- Golf in New York
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