Mizzou Alum's Benefit Helps Local Charities

Jun 28, 2010

Alex Rozier, KOMU TV-8

COLUMBIA - ESPN's own and Mizzou alum John Anderson is back in the Show-Me State to show off his golf game, and help out a few people too.

The John Anderson Celebrity Golf Invitational tees off tomorrow in Columbia.

"With a little luck I'll never play again. I keep telling myself that I'm officially retired, but then I know people, and I'm like Michael Corrlioni of The Godfather, they just keep sucking me back in to play golf," Anderson said.

It's a two day event with Sunday's benefit at Shiloh Bar and Grill in Columbia. When you mix ESPN, a few celebs, and a good cause, you're sure to get a good time. As for the golf, worry about that Monday.

"Golf game is horrendous, Id' quit but I got too many nice shirts," ESPN anchor John Anderson said.

In order to be the best, you probably should see the best.

"I was just out at Pebble Beach for the U.S. Open and I was out there watching people on the range, and I'm like I just need to quit."

But when there's excuse to come back to Mid-Missouri.

"An MBA was going to take too long, so I thought if I could run a golf tournament and come back I'd be here for a couple three days I figured that would be a lot easier."

"In central and northeast Missouri there are more than 100,000 people that live in poverty."

A portion of the proceeds will go the Central Missouri Food Bank and Buddy Pack program, feeding school children.

"This fall we are going to be in 100 schools and our goal is to feed well over 5000 children so that will help a lot," Peggy Kirkpatrick of the Central Missouri Food Bank said.

For John, help is why he's here.

"I don' think you can study and be effective in school if you're worried about how much you're hungry, ya know, if your stomach hurts and you're worried about that you can't concentrate on the three R's of reading, writing, and arithmetic."

And for this proud alum, it's two days in Mid-Missouri helping friends he may as well as call family. The Anderson family charitable foundation formed in 2009 hoping to assist under-served elementary school children in public school systems.

Many celebrities are in town for this event, including Mizzou alum and ESPN Dream Job winner Mike Hall.

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