Golfing is a beloved past time for many people for its fun and relaxing nature. So, why not bring more good into an already cherished hobby by also raising funds for a good cause? BEST’s partner, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), does exactly that.
AAHOA hosted its 2024 Northwest Charity Golf Tournament in August. A total of 140 players and over 30 sponsors attended the sold-out tournament, and the event raised $105,000 to benefit five charities, including BEST. The proceeds BEST receives from this tournament will be used to help give more public-facing employees the tools they need to make a real impact in the fight against human trafficking and potentially save lives.
This annual golf tournament, hosted by AAHOA Northwest Regional Director Taran Patel and his AAHOA Ambassadors, has supported charities for several years. BEST was honored to be a guest at the tournament to connect with so many hospitality leaders in person. Several Pacific Northwest hoteliers and AAHOA leaders were able to build engaging connections with other caring individuals throughout the well-organized event. The event was a great space for golfers to learn about important causes while also having fun networking and coming together, and attendees learned more about the work that BEST and AAHOA are doing together to prevent human trafficking in hotels.
Besides great golfing, the event had many individual spaces for the charities to speak about their cause and share their work. This provided a crucial and unique platform for the charitable recipients to be able to get the word out to others in a casual and easygoing environment. The tournament even included raffles, with the proceeds being donated to the charities.
BEST had the pleasure of speaking about our impact and work before the golf tournament. It was inspiring to see so many people engaged in the conversation of preventing human trafficking and wanting to contribute to BEST’s mission.
Overall, the 2024 Northwest Region Golf Tournament was a great opportunity to not only reconnect with people from last year’s tournament, but to meet new hoteliers who are passionate about serving their community. This event is helping create a better world that’s free from exploitation. That is the real reward.
