Dear supporter,
Thank you for helping us to achieve what we set out to-do in 2019. We simply couldn’t have done it without you and are excited for what is to come.
January 4th and 5th: We held our first-ever fundraiser, The First Annual “Burkie Invitational”, a limited field of 72 golfers were invited to check in to The Breakers Hotel on Friday evening. The guests were then invited over to the clubhouse early Friday evening to participate in a closest to the pin shootout and putting contest. After sunset players and their significant others were invited upstairs to the Flagler Steakhouse for a ceremonial dinner in which many funny stories about Dave were shared.
January 5th: The first tournament held on the newly redesigned Breakers Ocean Course was the Burkie Invitational since the course had just re-opened, the golfers were given the option to walk while their clubs were driven by volunteer fore-caddies or to actually ride in the carts themselves. Each foursome was given the option to participate in the Amy Flight (Scramble) or the Dave Flight (2 Best Ball) with no handicaps. The golf tournament was followed by an Awards Ceremony and Cocktail reception, notably the Dave Flight was won by Dave’s good friends Dan Marino and John Congemi and their sons and Joey Marino and Johnny Congemi, making it a truly unforgettable weekend.
June 27th: Our close friends at ESPN West Palm and Good Karma Brands in co-operation with the Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl, dedicated their new annual award which was named “The Dave Burke Executive Committee Member of the Year Award” at their annual luncheon held at The Breakers Palm Beach. The award was then presented to Dave’s family Amy, Ryan and Matthew, who expressed their gratitude to company president, Steve Politziner and then elaborated on not just a partnership but a close friendship that spanned many years between the Burke family and ESPN West Palm/Good Karma Brands.
The luncheon continued on with an insightful Q&A with ESPN’s Trey Wingo, who at one point remarked, “To the Burke Family, this is what it is all about. When I began this job it wasn’t for everything that came along with it but instead it was for how impactful ESPN could be and is on the family level.” The luncheon was celebrated with a few “Burkie’s” Vodka with “Just a splash” of Cranberry at the Seafood bar by many who attended.
July 28th: Florida International University, Dave’s alma mater, specifically the Chaplin School for Hospitality and Tourism Management presented Amy Burke with the “Outstanding Alumnus Award” medallion at their graduation on behalf of Dave. The family and foundation were extremely grateful for receiving this medallion. FIU has always been a special place to the Burke Family and The David A. Burke Foundation not only because it was Dave’s alma mater but also because Dave enjoyed being a familiar face on campus. The Foundation in conjunction with The Breakers matching gift from the “Burkie Invitational” has funded the David A. Burke Scholarship at the FIU Chaplin School for Hospitality and Tourism management that Dave set up on his 50th birthday for many years to come.
November 8th: The David A. Burke Foundation hosted our 2nd fundraiser the First Annual Burkie Bash at the newly opened Drive Shack in West Palm Beach. Over 270 guests attended what was a night to remember, which consisted of a silent auction, 50-50 raffle, and longest drive contest. PGA Tour winners past and present were in attendance to support all the while putting their talents on full display. The fundraiser was an incredible success not only from a money raised perspective but also from being able to get over 270 people together, many of which hadn’t seen each other in years, making it a very memorable evening.
November 9th and 10th: Our close friends from NBC Sports, Korbel, and Milthorpe sports dedicated their annual “Ryder Cup Invitational” coining it The Burkee Classic 2019. Dave’s sons Matt and Ryan competed for the USA and International teams respectively. We would like to thank our friends Jon Miller, Gary Quinn, Michael Milthorpe, Todd Kennedy and Bill Ginn for all that they continue to do for our family and foundation. The tournament was held at The Breakers Ocean Course and the competition was fierce but the cup was ultimately retained by Team USA.
Finally, December 2019 The David A. Burke Foundation team presented a check to The First Tee of the Palm Beaches to build a USGA putting green. The First Tee is dedicated to teaching military veterans and underprivileged children the game of golf and its core values. The purpose of the putting green is to assist with Ryan’s atrocious short-game, which was inherited from his father. Furthermore, the team also presented a donation to Place of Hope and their founder and CEO, Charles Bender, in an effort to support their mission of fostering over 350 children and fighting the battle against human trafficking. The First Tee and Place of Hope are organizations that were very near dear to Dave’s heart.
In addition to making these donations, Amy and Ryan spent time giving back through The Honda Classic Cares initiative at the Big Heart Brigade, packaging Thanksgiving dinners for the needy and also spent time at The Palm Beach County Food Bank, sorting meals for those less fortunate.
Additional recognitions and golf tournaments from this past year: FRLA October 2018, The First Tee October 2018, Place of Hope April 2019, FRLA September 2019, The Honda Classic Ambassadors December 2019, and Greg Price, who wore the DB “Just a Splash” hat during the PNC Father-Son Challenge in December 2019.
Thank you for your continued support for our family and The David A. Burke Foundation during this very difficult time. Our mission is to pay it forward and make this life a little bit better for someone else because that’s what Dave did for us. We look forward to continuing supporting organizations throughout Palm Beach County and the scholarship FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism management this year. We would like to wish you and yours all the best in 2020 and we hope to see you soon.
