NB3 Foundation

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While Tasha Pino’s 6-year-old son may not know who world renown golfers Lorena Ochoa or Annika Sorenstam are, he and his mother have an idea what the two LPGA golfers are setting out to do for their community.  Last year a fundraising golf tournament played with Notah Begay III and his top golfing friends pulled in $1.2 million, money that is helping to expand the soccer program and a build a new state-of the-art field in the Pueblo of San Felipe.

“(Soccer) has opened up different opportunities for us as parents and our kids,” says Tasha Pino, who is a volunteer coach. “It’s something that community has come together for.”

Since the NB3 Foundation Challenge was created in 2008, Begay has raised $1.4 million with the golf tournament.  Last year’s event, which included Begay’s friend Tiger Woods, was the biggest fundraiser yet. Money from 2009’s Challenge also went to the NB3 Junior Golf Program.

And, according to NB3 Foundation Executive Director Crystal Echo Hawk, every dollar was put to work for Native youth.  In addition to building the foundation’s infrastructure, the foundation also increased its capacity to serve Native youth by 212 percent.  In 2009, 200 kids were served. This summer the foundation is projected to serve almost 900 kids.

“We take donor investment seriously and we know that the monies raised at this year's Challenge will help us to continue to augment our capacity to deliver quality and effective programming to Native youth not only in New Mexico but Native youth outside of the state in 2011,” she said.  “We hope to double our current capacity to serve youth next year through soccer and golf.”

Other plans Echo Hawk says include continuing to develop an evidence-based model of soccer and golf programming in New Mexico and introduce nutrition initiatives in San Felipe to further the foundation’s mission in promoting obesity and diabetes prevention. The foundation also has plans to expand soccer and golf programs throughout Indian Country.

While golf fans are talking about the NB3 Challenge stellar field of golf players in addition to Ochoa and Sorenstam who are set to tee off at the event Aug. 31, those in San Felipe continuing to talk about the impact the foundation has made.

“This program has provided a lot of good experiences for our girls,” says Pino, who coaches a girls team. She said she has seen her own 12-year-old daughter change.

“This was her first sport and she’s been playing for five years now. She’s more skilled now and she’s active.  She’s also eats healthy now because she wants to get better,” Pino said. “Before all she did was stay home read and watch TV.

“…(The soccer program) has been such a positive thing for the whole community.”