FALCON, Colo (KOAA) — The "Chip in for Children" charity golf tournament surpassed $300,000 in total donations to Children's Hospital Colorado in Colorado Springs on Friday, marking a milestone for an event that has grown into one of southern Colorado's signature fundraising efforts.
Community members, business leaders and Denver Broncos alumni gathered at Antler Creek Golf Course in Falcon for the annual tournament, which has raised more than $290,000 since it began in 2015.
This year's event pushed that total past the $300,000 mark, a milestone organizers say they hope to keep building on for years to come.
"There are a lot of families in this community that need additional support with their healthcare bills. There's a lot of critical children that need help, and we're just happy to be able to provide that," said managing director Angela McAwley.
Donations from the tournament help families in ways that often go unseen, covering meals, gas cards, support services, and programs designed to comfort children during difficult treatments, including a medical dog program.
"We have a medical dog, Salida, who is able to visit our patients and their siblings while they're in the hospital, and this funding helps us continue to maintain having the medical dog in the hospital to help children prepare for procedures," said Children’s Hospital Colorado Springs vice president Kathie Seerup.
Denver Broncos alumni have become familiar faces at the tournament. Former Broncos kicker Rich Karlis said the cause has long been important to the organization.
"The Denver Broncos alumni have always been so active in the community and given so much of their time back into different charities, and Children's (Hospital Colorado) is just one of those that's important to us," said Karlis.
Organizers say local support is critical to keeping specialized pediatric care accessible to southern Colorado families, reducing the need to travel to Denver for treatment.
"Without the local support and understanding of all of the services that we provide here in Colorado Springs, families would have to travel all the way to Denver, and that's... far away, even if they have a means to be able to get there," stated Seerup.
The 2025 tournament brought in $35,000, and the organizers say the goal for this year is to surpass the $40,000 mark.
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