Conine All-Star Golf Classic Raises More Than $500,000 to Aid Families at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital

Jeff & Cindy Conine and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation recently hosted the Conine All-Star Golf Classic, an annual fundraiser that helps underwrite expenses at the Conine Clubhouse, a hotel-like facility adjacent to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital where families can stay for free while a child is being treated.

The 31st annual event was held for the eighth consecutive year at Fort Lauderdale Country Club. Nearly 250 golfers and supporters raised more than $500,000, bringing the tournament’s fundraising total to $8.5 million since 1995. Those dollars have enabled more than 25,000 families to stay at the clubhouse and remain close to sick kids during critical times in their lives.

“I wouldn’t trade my athletic career for anything, but this event enables us to affect people’s lives, so that’s much bigger than sports,” said Jeff Conine. “The Conine Clubhouse is a special place that we love supporting, and I’m prouder of that than anything I did on the baseball field.”

Presented by Custom Rod & Reel, the fundraiser featured a celebrity in every foursome, including Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, Livan Hernandez, Preston Wilson, Anibal Sanchez, Cornelius Bennett, Dennis Martinez, Gaby Sanchez, Cliff Floyd, and Rick Cerone, among many others.

Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is one of the nation’s leading pediatric hospitals, offering a comprehensive scope of healthcare services and programs in a caring, compassionate setting designed specifically for children. A level one trauma center, it combines advanced technology, the expertise of board-certified specialists, and a patient and family-centered approach to heal the body, mind, and spirit of those it touches.

The hospital’s nonprofit foundation focuses on philanthropy to positively impact patients, families, and underwrite programs, facilities, and equipment that support the pediatric facility’s mission.