Members of Red Rock Country Club will continue a 12-year tradition when the Red Rock Golf Classic tees off Nov. 9, 2023, on the private Arnold Palmer Mountain Course, to honor and benefit military heroes through the Operation Homefront organization. The heartwarming and essential tournament allows members–several who have served–and other golfers to give back and help support active service and veterans who have hit difficult times.
At the link is complete information and how to play and support the 2023 Red Rock Golf Classic and Operation Homefront. The event is open to all golfers, not just Red Rock members.
UNLV Dean Emeritus Stuart Mann is serving as the chairperson in 2023 and says the tournament has become a part of the fabric of Red Rock CC. He also says new sponsors are always welcome and revealed that the Jim and Connie Nettles Charitable Fund has returned as a major sponsor in addition to the Moody Family. Other sponsors will be announced soon.
“We are here to support the military men and women and their families, and that is our purpose,” says Mann, who was an officer in the Navy. “We have raised over $1.25 million to help these heroes and their loved ones, and over the last decade, the Red Rock members, staff and ownership have totally embraced it. The course is donated and the club also helps offset other expenses, so more dollars go directly to the cause. They really go above and beyond.”
Mann says Red Rock General Manager Thom Blinkinsop, a former U.S. Marine, immediately stepped up to support the first tournament and continues to do so as the 12th annual event is being planned.
“This is a way of giving back for those of us who are not active in the military or those who maybe didn’t serve,” says Mann, who helped create the UNLV Professional Golf Management Program in 2002. “We all have a special place in our hearts for military service and those who serve the country.”
Mann remains a huge proponent of the UNLV program and each year students of the highly-renowned program volunteer at the Red Rock tournament. Among their duties is to hit long drives that the players sponsor and raise additional funds for Operation Homefront.
In all, 88 percent of Operation Homefront funds go directly to military families. The Operation Homefront Mission is to “Build strong, stable, and secure military families so they can thrive—not simply struggle to get by—in the communities that they’ve worked so hard to protect. A key aspect of our mission is to ensure that military families have access to the support and resources they need to stay strong, stable, and secure in the face of adversity. As a military family support organization, we strive to provide respect and understanding to our military families while ensuring that all families in need of assistance receive it.”
The statistics are stunning and difficult to read. According to Operation Homefront, the following stark numbers illustrate the need for the organization and events such as the Red Rock Golf Classic.
Operation Homefront Statistics
- 2.4 million military veterans live paycheck-to-paycheck and 1.5 million live below the poverty line.
- 23% of military families report being food insecure
- 1.5 million military veterans report being housing cost burdened
“We always focus on the fact that this is an opportunity to give back and at the same time play one of the most special golf courses in Las Vegas,” Mann says. “If you are interested in helping veterans and their families, this is a very easy way to get involved and, at the same time, enjoy a round of golf.”