Assistant Director Christina Moreno had a front-row seat on the 18th hole to watch Stephan Jaeger secure his first PGA TOUR victory at the Texas Children’s Houston Open! Christina was one of more than 230 volunteers from Texas Children’s at the event.
Working in hospitality, Christina shared her thoughts, “My experience was phenomenal. The atmosphere on the 18th was electric with all the cheering and gasps for near misses. I also had the opportunity to chat with and thank the military veterans as they came in to the venue, and that was very special. The tournament was an amazing way to showcase TCH on a national stage highlighting our values and mission. I would 100% volunteer again.”
Volunteers are an integral part of operating a successful PGA TOUR event. Our team members worked across all areas of the tournament from gallery ambassadors and standard-bearers to evacuation and merchandise teams.
We caught up with some of our other volunteers to get their thoughts on the week:
- Dr. Dean Andropoulos, Anesthesiologist-in-Chief (Gallery Ambassador 15th hole) – “I am a big fan of golf and wanted to learn how the tournament is run while also representing Texas Children’s. The course was beautiful, and the Texas Children’s signage and branding on everything was wonderful, especially the TCH logo in white flowers on the 15th hole. The positive feeling about TCH, the increased exposure from the thousands of fans who attended, and the great TV coverage featuring the hospital and some of our patients, is really important for us. I most enjoyed interacting with the fans and other volunteers, and saying I worked at TCH. I was so proud to say that. I would absolutely do this again.”
- Courtney Prewitt, Advanced Quality Specialist (Gallery Ambassador 4th hole) – “I went in not knowing what to expect and the experience was nothing short of AMAZING. I got a chance to meet TCH colleagues across the system that I may have never crossed paths with, and I’m already planning to do it again next year. Being the title sponsor for the TCHO brings global attention to the amazing work we do. This tournament brought an incredible opportunity for employees by allowing us up close and personal insight to a PGA golf tournament. Kudos to Texas Children’s Hospital!” #Texaschildrensproud
- Emmanuel Atenco, Business Process Engineer (Transportation) – “Before this experience, I didn’t know a thing about golf except for Tiger Woods. After volunteering, I actually watched the rest of the tournament at my house. As part of the transportation team, one of our duties was to pick up PGA TOUR players from the airport. The highlight was picking up a player who hung with the volunteers for a bit before he left. He ended up second or third in the tournament, and when I went to the tournament as a spectator, he recognized me and said hello! I was very happy Texas Children’s offered the opportunity to volunteer. Seeing the Texas Children’s logo throughout the tournament was rewarding and impactful because of the help we provide to our patients and the community.”
- Shon Bower, Manager, Multimedia Center (Shotlink Spotter 12th hole) – “As a golfer I like to give back to the sport I play and regularly volunteer at tournaments in Houston. I signed up as soon as registration opened! I love being on courses when they are in such perfect shape. Seeing Texas Children’s everywhere was definitely a highlight as well as watching all the families out there enjoying the great weather and of course, watching the pros. This is a new level of exposure on a national stage. To see our incredible patient stories in the media gives those outside of Texas a small glimpse into what is possible here. I’ll definitely be back next year.”
Through our partnership with The Astros Golf Foundation, Texas Children’s is the title sponsor of the Texas Children’s Houston Open through 2028 hosting some of the PGA TOUR’s most outstanding players.
