Henry Prendes Charity Golf Classic coming up!

Henry’s Place Foundation www.henrysplace.org, a 501(c)3  organization formed in 2006 to honor Las Vegas Metro Sergeant Henry Prendes who gave his life protecting his hometown community, will host the 6th Annual Henry Prendes Charity Golf Classic at 8:00 a.m. next Saturday, June 9, 2012.  The tournament will be held at Palm Valley Golf Course www.golfsummerlin.com in Sun City Summerlin.

Proceeds from the tournament will be used to help support the county’s approval process and obtain the necessary permits needed for development of the property in order to begin construction on the 14-acre parcel of land in Cedar City, UT designated as the future home of Henry’s Place, a camp facility being created for the Las Vegas Valley’s underprivileged youth.

This year’s tournament welcomes back the participation of LVMPD Sheriff Douglas C. Gillespie, golf pro Mike Dobbyn, who holds the Guinness Book of World Records’ Long Drive record of 551 yards, and also welcomes first-time player Cort McCown, comedian and producer of Empire Comedy at Paris Las Vegas. The event also offers the golfers a chance to win a $200 prize for a 90-foot chip shot, sponsored by Palm Valley Golf Course. To kick off the day’s activities, a Metro Search & Rescue Police Helicopter will take to the sky to drop “Golf Balls from Heaven,” and an awards ceremony; luncheon and auction/prize raffle round out the afternoon.

“In the six years since Henry’s death, we have made progress in regards to gaining the necessary approvals and permits but find there are still additional steps required before breaking ground,” said Dawn Prendes, Henry’s widow and Founder of Henry’s Place. “Once we complete the process, we will be ready to move forward with the camp’s construction and move closer to making our dream become a reality.”

February 1, 2012 marked the six-year anniversary of the death of Sgt. Prendes.  At the time of his death, Sgt. Prendes was the first Metro police officer killed in the line of duty in Las Vegas in 18 years.  His story continues to receive national attention and has even been published in three books: Uncensored Grace by Jud Wilhite, True Blue by Lt. Randy Sutton, and (in French) Au Coeur de L’action: Police Americane by Sebastien Fremont. His legacy lives on through Henry’s Place Foundation and the youth camp facility, and our U.S. Congress passed The “Sergeant Henry Prendes Memorial Act of 2006” to increase penalties for individuals who kill or conspire to kill police officers.

Individuals can register for $125 and foursomes are $400 (a portion of the registration fees are tax deductible).  The tournament is open to all ages. To register for the tournament, or for more information, please visit www.henrysplace.org or call 702-296-5078.