PHOENIX—Desert Financial Foundation said its annual charity golf tournament raised $730,000 this year for 1 Darn Cool School at Phoenix Children’s, continuing a long-running fundraising effort that has now generated more than $8 million for the hospital’s education program since the event began in 1999.
The 2026 tournament, held March 23 at Talking Stick Golf Club in Scottsdale, drew 38 teams in a five-person pro-am scramble format, each paired with a professional golfer. Desert Financial said the event supports 1 Darn Cool School, a fully accredited K-12 program that provides classroom and bedside instruction for children receiving medical care, and that the program delivered nearly 11,000 patient education sessions in 2025.
“We are proud to continue supporting this life-changing program and grateful to the teams, professional players, and sponsors who helped make this tournament possible,” Ron Amstutz, tournament director and EVP at Desert Financial, said in a statement. Desert Financial said the foundation, the credit union and its team members have contributed a combined $14.6 million to the program over the past 29 years, including $1.425 million in 2025 alone.
Phoenix Children’s said the program helps young patients maintain a sense of normalcy while undergoing treatment.
“Desert Financial has been an incredible partner in supporting the educational and emotional well-being of our patients,” Tim Harrison, VP of Corporate Partnerships & Special Events, said in a statement, adding the support helps children “keep learning, dreaming, and thriving throughout their treatment.”