Eblen Charities: Eblen Events

Eblen Events

Brad Johnson Celebrity Golf Calssic: The event that started it all. The Brad Johnson Celebrity Golf Classic now held each year at one of the Cliff's Communities championship courses in the spring, has grown from less than 30 teams its first year to a field of 64. Chaired by Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson, local and national celebrities take part along with corporate sponsors and area golfers to help bring health and hope to children, adults and families in Western North Carolina.
The Outback Night of the Legends Auction: Held in conjunction with the Children's Classic at the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort. This auction brings a fun and exciting evening that brings the community together with the sponsors, golfers and celebrities to bid on a wide array of silent and live items.
Bele Chere Souvenir Sales: Asheville brings to western North Carolina one of the southeast's finest outdoor, downtown festivals at the end of July each year. The Eblen Charities has been fortunate to help with the festivities by providing volunteer staff to operate the three Bele Chere souvenir booths during the three-day affair. Eblen provides more than 100 volunteers and support to the festival and receives a percentage of the sales of the three booths to help assist with it's program.
Eblen Charities BOOsters: The BOOsters are happy little friendly ghosts sold throughout the month of October in area banks, restaurants, cleaners, convenience stores, and many other businesses. For only $1.00 anyone can purchase a BOOster, place his or her name or business card on it and have it displayed.; TOP BANK for 2001 - Clyde Savings; TOP BUSINESS for 2001 - Iwanna; TOP RESTAURANT -Texas Roadhouse
Eblen Charities Pumpkin Sales: Much like the BOOsters sales, these bright paper pumpkins are sold for $1.00 during the month of October in area schools and Ingles Markets. This program sponsored by Outback Steakhouse, Ingles's Markets, Pepsi and KISS-FM, benefits the programs of the Eblen Children's outreach and helps provide a community program to the area schools with the premise of children helping children. Schools also have the opportunity to win prizes and equipment for their school. The school with the most over all sales is awarded the Frank Lewis Memorial Award, named in memory of our long time friend and Buncombe County educator, Frank Lewis.; Grand Prize 2001 - Fairview Elementary School; 1st Place - Cane Creek Elementary School; 2nd Place - Glen Marlowe Elementary; 3rd Place - Erwin Middle School
The Eblen Heroes for Hope Poker Run: An event that takes the good works of many good people to the open road. Held in the fall of each year, hundreds of motorcycle riders join the Heroes for Hope Poker Run to enjoy a seventy-mile ride through the mountains to see the beautiful colors of the changing leaves and to lend their support to the families that the Eblen Charities serve. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Outback Steakhouse, Pepsi of Asheville, Harrah's Cherokee Casino, KISS-FM, Sugar Daddy's Diner, Gene Lumus Harley Davidson, The WNC Hog Chapter, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and the Biltmore Company, the poker run is an event that is looked forward to each year.
The Eblen Heroes for Hope 10K Walk: Beginning years ago as a Cystic Fibrosis walk the local Cystic Fibrosis support group brought the walk to the Eblen Charities to help support the Dana Luther Jarrett Cystic Fibrosis Outreach and other Eblen programs.
The Patrick Sizemore Children's Outreach Basketball Tournament: Started as a rallying point of the south Asheville community to offer help to Patrick as he battled cancer, the Patrick Sizemore Children's Outreach Basketball tournament has become one of our community's most anticipated events. Organized and operated entirely by volunteers, this tournament is held as a pre-season tournament for the South Buncombe Youth Basketball. Five local school gymnasiums are used as well as volunteer officials.
Lighting the Way: This event provides holiday shoppers with one less stop to make as the Eblen volunteers sell 12 packs of Pepsi products during a weekend before Christmas. With the Pepsi products donated by Pepsi of Asheville, live broadcasts done by the popular on-the-air personalities of WWNC and appearances by Jackson Guice (award winning Superman and Disney artist), Lighting the Way helps ring in the Christmas season for Western North Carolina.
Iwanna/ Brad Johnson Quarterback Challenge: Created to give local fans of Asheville's Brad Johnson added excited as they follow his NFL career and his action on the field game by game. Thanks to an idea by Brad's mother, Ellen and the generosity and kindness of Brad, local businesses and individuals pledge a dollar amount for every touchdown that Brad scores. No matter what the score ends up being, Brad and our sponsors make sure that the children and the families we serve come out winners.
Buzz Peterson's Hoop Challenge: Starting with the idea to bring the concept of Brad's Team to another sport, Buzz's program was created by Asheville basketball standout Buss Peterson's parents. For each win that the University of Tennessee Volunteers Men's Basketball Team wins (led by head coach Buzz Peterson), local friends, fans and alumni make pledges to support the programs of the Eblen Charities.
The Michael Wellisch Indoor Shootout: The Eblen Charities is most pleased to have added the Michael Wellisch Indoor Shootout to its family of events. Held in memory of Michael Wellisch, an outstanding soccer star at Asheville Country Day School and Asheville High School, who lost his life to cancer shortly before he was to attend Clemson University on a soccer scholarship. This soccer challenge serves as the season ending tournament for the winter youth indoor soccer league. Hundreds of players gather each year in December to compete for their respective championships and to help Eblen achieve a different kind of goal.
Harvestfest Fine Wine and Beer Tasting: The signature event of the Skyland Distributing Company, this evening of food, entertainment, and fine wine is held every fall in conjunction with the unveiling of the fall wines from numerous vineyards and vendors. Many area restaurants join in to present the finest foods of Asheville giving Eblen Charities supporters an unparalleled evening out. All vendor fees, ticket sales, and silent auction proceeds are donated to the programs of Eblen Charities.