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Chairman Melissa Darden

Chitimacha Louisiana Open to kick off this Sunday

Chitimacha Louisiana Open begins this weekend, and the Chitimacha Tribe hosted a press conference at Cypress Bayou Casino Hotel Tuesday.
It is a long-running golf tournament that benefits worthy causes.
Cypress Bayou Assistant General Manager Jack Darden said, “The tribe has been a very proud sponsor for some 20 years…our Million Dollar Hole in One will be held at Le Triomphe on the eighth hole at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Animal Rescue Foundation of Louisiana, in the weeks leading up to the Hole in One, have been out at local golf courses letting people qualify, they have contacted those who qualified to help raise money for the causes.”
Others can participate for $100.
The Celebrity Hole In One is another component, with a $5,000 donation to a charity of a participant’s choice if they make the shot…if they don’t hit, there will also be a donation at a to-be-determined amount, Darden said.
Several local celebrities are involved.
The Pro-Am event will be held March 19 in the Pavilion at the casino, ticket cost is $60.
There’ll be a blackjack tournament with a 50-50 split of proceeds, half going to a charity. Entry is $20.
“What we’ll challenge the winner with is that if they’re feeling generous, they can donate theirs to the charity as well,” he said.
Tribal Chairman Melissa Darden said because of the tournament, some $183,000 was donated to local charities, up from $135,000 in previous years.
“Chitimacha Louisiana Open is a great way we can give back to the people of Acadiana,” she said, “for the communities we operate in. The Chitimacha Louisiana Open has donated over $4.7 million since its inception. It is the overall mission of the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana and Cypress Bayou Hotel to give back to the people of Acadiana who have been so good to us for the past 24 years.”
Tournament Director Danny Jones said “to have a sponsor with the continuity and the support of the Chitimacha Tribe makes our job a lot easier…knowing that we have our biggest sponsor behind us makes us sleep easy at night.”
Major corporations have joined the effort as well, Jones said. He said, “It’s a testament to the place we call home in Acadiana. In sports, when they get ‘it’ and you can’t necessarily define ‘it,’ but Lafayette and the surrounding area definitely have ‘it.’ We live in a special place, work in a special place and raise families in a special place.”
The Million Dollar Hole in One has never been won, Jones said. “We buy the insurance every year,” he said, “and we’d just as soon give the million dollars away.”
A complete schedule can be found at:
https://www.laopen.com/tournament-info/schedule/

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