News

May

2024

The third annual Desert Coast Growers Invitational golf tournament, hosted by RDO Equipment Co., raised $70,000 for this year’s benefiting charity, Amberly’s Place.

Golf tourney nets $70K for Amberly’s Place

The third annual Desert Coast Growers Invitational golf tournament, hosted by RDO Equipment Co., raised $70,000 for this year’s benefiting charity, Amberly’s Place, an immediate crisis intervention center for domestic violence, elder or physical abuse, sexual assault or human trafficking victims.

RDO team members from several southwestern locations partnered with Amberly’s Place to plan and host the golf tournament. Now in its third year, the Desert Coast Growers Invitational has raised $180,000 to date for communities in the Desert Coast region. As in previous years, John Deere was the title sponsor for the event held in early May at the Yuma Golf & Country Club.

Originally posed as a challenge to the RDO teams in the Southwest to give back to their communities in a meaningful way, the Desert Coast Growers Invitational continues to be a positive opportunity for growers and industry members to partner and provide this in need in the region.

“The power of the community is amazing when we all work together to connect each other to a great cause,” said RDO’s Vice President of Southwest Agriculture Richard Arias, who first issued the challenge to his teams. “It’s hard work, but every grower in this part of the country knows hard work is exactly what it takes to earn results. We once again found this to be an energizing opportunity to join forces and do something bigger for the community than we could do individually, and Amberly’s Place was a much-deserving partner this year.”

Established in 1999 by the Yuma Family Advocacy Coalition, Amberly’s Place serves children and adults in and around Yuma County, providing a safe and nurturing environment with on-site medical attention and one-time video interviews to avoid re-traumatization of victims.

“These funds raised will meet victims’ immediate needs like hotel lodging costs, fixing slashed tires or securing their homes with new doors, locks and windows,” said Tori Bourguignon, executive director of Amberly’s Place.

Bourguignon explained grant funds mainly cover operating costs, so the Amberly’s Place team will use the $70K for victims’ transportation by bus or plane, therapy and counseling services, plus additional clothing or food. Funds raised by RDO will support their team’s innovative approach to investigating, prosecuting and intervening in abuse cases in partnership with law enforcement agencies operating within Yuma County.

“We will be able to better serve abuse victims in our community because of the support we receive from generous donors like RDO Equipment Co.,” Bourguignon said. “We are truly grateful. “