By Debra Pamplin
Country Music Giant, Toby Keith was a gifted singer/songwriter/musician, who loved Oklahoma, his nation and its military. He was also very proud of another project - the Toby Keith Foundation.
The mission of the Toby Keith Foundation is to encourage the health and happiness of pediatric cancer patients and to support the OK Kids Korral, a home for children undergoing treatment for cancer.
With Toby Keith no longer at the reigns of the foundation, some may wonder what will happen to this intimate children’s home away from home.
Juliet Nees-Bright (Executive Director Of The Toby Keith Foundation) said, "We would have liked nothing more than to have Toby host the 20th anniversary, but that wasn’t the reality," she continued, "It was incredibly touching to see people like Bob Stoops say, 'Hey, I’ll come out and emcee, and I’ll help you with this event.'"
During the recent 20th annual Toby Keith and Friends Golf Classic a record setting 3.1 million dollars was raised for the TK Foundation. The golf tournament, complete with a live auction and dinner, brought in $1.6 million
These funds will be used for upgrades to the OK Kids Korral. The facility is now a decade old, so new carpeting will be installed, along with a new roof.
Also, during the fundraiser, an endowment campaign was launched, with another $1.5 million being pledged for the future of the Korral. Including this past summer’s event, the Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic has brought in nearly $18 million.
If the most recent donation count is any indication, Toby Keith's legacy will live on for a long time.
About the OK Kids Korral
Inside the cost-free Oklahoma haven, families can enjoy the ‘home away from home’ atmosphere, taking lodging costs and stress off the plates of parents while their child receives cancer treatments.
There are 12 private suites (each with room for a family of five), four daytime rooms, a gourmet kitchen, a family resource room, laundry room and indoor and outdoor dining areas.
There's even a movie theater, game room, teen area, and indoor and outdoor playgrounds to round out the OK Kids Korral in Oklahoma City.
While Toby may be gone, his kind & generous spirit shines bright in the continued blessings that the TK Foundation provides to area children battling cancer. To donate click here.
To Learn more about Debra click here.
To visit Debra's blog click here.
