By: Christy Oldham
13, Feb 2017
Professional golf master Arnold Palmer once said “Success in golf depends less on strength of body but upon strength of mind and character”. If that indeed is true, then retired baseball player turned actor Stephen Bishop, has all three virtues. Bishop possesses a natural humanitarian spirit and recently brought his celebrity and athlete friends together on the eve of Valentine’s Day for a delightful game of golf at the Calabasas Country Club to help raise money for the non-profit organization R.A.K.E (Random Acts of Kindness Everywhere).
You know him from his role as “David”, Gabrielle Union’s love interest on Being Mary Jane and currently stars in the Bravo series, Imposters, as “Patrick”. Bishop’s golf invitational is now in its second year and was sponsored by high profile brands Adidas Golf, RedBull and the Veteran’s Golf Association. Retired professional boxer Sugar Ray Leonard and actor Ron Perlman from HellBoy fame, enjoyed a fun-filled day on the beautiful greens with Bishop.
“I was truly humbled at the outpouring of support from my friends and colleagues that came to the inaugural celebrity invitational. The spirit of RAKE was palpable both on the course and at the banquet with people performing RAKEs all over the place. It completely validated my belief in RAKE and what Ricky Smith has going on over there,” said Bishop.
Other high profile golfers included Jim Brown (Retired NFL Hall of Fame Player), Chris Spencer (BET’s Real Husbands of Hollywood), Craig T. Nelson (The Incredibles), Dennis Haysbert (The Unit), Nicholas Gonzalez (Pretty Little Liars), Will Lowery (Pro Golf), Jason Seymour (Pro Golf), Roger Gunn (Pro Golf), Royce Clayton (Former MLB Player), Jerry Hairston Jr. (Former MLB Player), Gary Hudson (Angels Fall) and Flex Alexander (One on One).
Later that evening, an elegant dinner, award ceremony and presentation of Operation Double Eagle, a film documentary in development about veterans with PTSD, was held in the clubhouse of the beautiful Calabasas Country Club.
Here are some of the highlights below:
About R.A.K.E.
Random Acts of Kindness Everywhere was founded by comedian Ricky Smith and their mission is simple to support the community in a positive way. They want to enrich lives, encourage kindness, and promote the act of “paying it forward.” Every act of kindness, whether helping provide necessities to someone in need or promoting cultural growth among children can help make a difference.
“RAKE golf tournament was a top notch, most enjoyable event. The course was great and the staff and volunteers were accommodating. The attitude of Random Acts of Kindness seemed to emote from everyone involved. S/O to Stephen Bishop for hosting such a wonderful event.” – Cedric the Entertainer
For more info on RAKE, click HERE.
About VGA
The Veteran Golfers Association is committed to promoting the game of golf to veterans and their family members. The VGA develops programs that allow our members to compete, socialize, and remain physically active through the game of golf. The VGA is an international golf development organization introducing the game of golf and its inherent values to veterans and their family members. Through local inter-club league play, tournaments, and national qualifiers, we help reinforce values like integrity, respect and perseverance through the game of golf. Additionally, the VGA offers family oriented activities that will help veterans and their family members increase the amount of quality time spent together, be more physically active, and be more involved in their communities.
For more info about the VGA or Operation Double Eagle, click HERE.
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