Sports legends and icons of Hollywood came together for an important cause this week.
On Monday, July 18, 2022, Rich “Big Daddy” Salgado hosted his annual Big Daddy Celebrity Golf Classic & Gala at Oheka Castle.
Before the on-course challenges, notable attendees gathered on the red carpet, including Hisham Tawfiq (Former US Marine & NBC The Blacklist Adam Schefter (ESPN/NFL insider), Howard Cross (Super Bowl Champion NY Giants & NY Giants Commentator), Kevin Weekes (ESPN/NHL Network & Former NY Islanders/NY Rangers/NY Devils Goalie), Victor Cruz (NFL Veteran), Ray Crockett (2x Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos), Jim Salgado (Asst. Coach Buffalo Bills), Jeffrey McQueen (Mental Health Association of Nassau County) and Joe Schoen (Giants GM).
“Everybody was fortunate enough to be here today is fortunate enough to know Big Daddy,” reflected Schefter before hitting the course. “And so, we’re required to give back because of our association and our connection to him. And for projects like this, you want to do good and do right. And so that’s why we’re all here.”
During the lunch hour, the Women’s Empowerment Luncheon hosted by co-host & Founder Anzhelika Steen Olsen of THE SHER Women’s Empowerment Group took place at nearby Cold Spring Country Club. Here Jeff Hoffman – Founder of PriceLine.com, Carolyn Manno – NBC Sports Network/CNN and Brandi Chastain – 2x Gold & 1x Silver Olympic Soccer Medalist, shared messages of hope with the audience that included Emmy-award winning actress and New York Times best-selling author Susan Lucci.
During a lively cocktail reception as the sun set on the gorgeous grounds, country music star Jillian Cardarelli, lead singer of Big Shot Mike Del Guidice, Paul Mahos of Paul Mahos & New Life Crisis band, and world-renowned DJ Skribble all took the stage to add to the memorable celebration.
Charities that benefited from the event included Pop Earth, the Long Island non-profit focused on providing holistic health services and options for those with special needs, including autism & other developmental disorders; as well as Kids Need More, which is a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of children, families & young adults coping with cancer and life-threatening illness.
Sponsors included David Yurman, Delta, Nike, Empire Auto Group, Samuel Adams, and Arizona Iced Tea.