MOSES LAKE – On Thursday, June 5, AG World hosted its 12th annual golf classic at the Links at Moses Pointe, where they raised money for the Ronald McDonald house in Spokane. Event organizer and AG World CEO, Bryan Henninger, said the event was a success.
“We had a good turnout here at Moses Pointe. We were close to capacity,” Henninger said. “It was a good day, and we do things a little different. We’ve got lots of activities and fun stuff on the course, including some food on the course. So, we try and keep it upbeat and a little different than your normal golf events.”
According to Henninger, 106 golfers took to the green for a fun day of golfing. Alongside AG World, the event was hosted by Simplot, Lamb Weston, McCain and Potato Growers of Washington. After the event, Henninger said they were able to donate over $80,000 to the Ronald McDonald House.
Each year, the company runs two events to raise money. They hold a tournament in Kennewick on a Tuesday and Moses Pointe on Thursday. Between both events, they tend to raise a fair amount of money each year, according to Henninger.
“It’s great how the industry comes together to support it,” he said.
Henninger leads the organization of the event alongside his mom, Judy. She is AG World’s Chaplain and Ambassador. Her husband, Warren, came up with the idea for a charity golf tournament after attending tournaments for the Ronald McDonald house in Manitoba, Canada.
Bryan said his dad’s goal was to bring together the agricultural community to support the house in Spokane. 12 years later, he said they reached a new milestone for all-time donations. They have now donated over $1 million in their 12-year history.
Henninger said his dad passed away in 2020, but ever since, he and Judy have worked to carry on his legacy.
Each year, they give opening remarks before golf begins. According to Judy, she always makes note of attendees’ connection to the Ronald McDonald house. She asks people to raise their hands if they have ever had to utilize the house, or have known someone who has, and eventually, everyone has their hands raised, she said.
“One of the highlights of our golf events is we ask families who’ve used the house. It doesn’t have to be in Spokane, but most of them have been ones that have used the house in Spokane, and they come and share just a couple of minutes of how much they appreciate the Ronald McDonald House in their time of need,” she said.
According to the Henningers, they aim to incorporate first-hand accounts to help their event stand out from other tournaments. Bryan said he has been impacted by the Ronald McDonald House. His son Nate had a medical scare 17-years ago and he said the family room in the hospital was a supportive place he could go to rest which was not too far from him.
The Ronald McDonald House also has establishments like hotels that provide families with support. According to their website, they aim to help families physically, economically and emotionally during their child’s healthcare journey. They support many families who have to travel far for their child’s medical care.
According to the Henningers, roughly 60% of the families who use the Spokane house are from the Columbia Basin.
“So, this event that we’re doing, we’re helping our friends and neighbors locally by supporting it in Spokane. The Spokane house does not serve people living in Spokane,” Bryan said.
The Henningers are looking forward to putting on their thirteenth golf classic next year and continuing to support the Ronald McDonald house while carrying on Warren Henninger’s legacy, Bryan said. They have announced their dates for next year’s golf classic, Moses Lake, being June 4, 2026, at the Links at Moses Pointe.
The Henninger family takes a group photo during the AG World Golf Classic. Bryan, top center in the sunglasses, and his mom Judy, top left, carried on the annual event after Warren Henninger passed away in 2020. Warren started the event 12 years ago.
Judy Henninger holds a cannon at the AG World Golf Classic. At one of the holes, golfers could shoot their golf balls with a cannon.
Bryan Henninger, far left, poses for a photo with sponsors from the Ronald McDonald house. The house sponsored a hole for the golf tournament.
Bryan and Judy Henninger, left, get fries from the Washington Potato Commission Fry Truck at hole four. In its twelfth year, the golf tournament has donated over $1 million to the Ronald McDonald house across its history.
A team of golfers pose for a team photo during the AG World Golf Classic. The tournament saw 106 golfers play at the Links at Moses Pointe.Read the full article here