EPIC for Girls Set to Make a Big Impact again at Pinnacle Bank Championship

By Tiffany Brazda

EPIC for Girls will again bartend at the Pinnacle Bank Championship, scheduled for Aug. 5-11 at Indian Creek Golf Course. The nonprofit aimed at empowering girls of color in sports, made some noise last year by bringing in nearly 100 volunteers to work the bars at the event. Its participation was so successful, with volunteers raising more than $8,500, EPIC was named Charity of the Year by Korn Ferry Tour.

Executive Director Kimberly Thomas, who has increasingly become more involved in the event since she took the helm of the organization, sought a bigger role for EPIC at the Championship in 2023. In return, they were tasked with running seven bars.

The money raised in tips was given directly to the organization.

“We had a really great turnout for our volunteers, but also our bars were pretty successful,” Thomas said. “We had good conversations and networking that was happening at those bars.”

On top of that, the Charity of the Year honor was accompanied by another $15,000 donated from the PGA Tour.

This year, the team is back at it again and will be running larger sponsored bar throughout the event space. Thomas is looking forward to bringing in sports partners to volunteer.

“However much they volunteer, they get that money back to their organization to spend however they want,” she said.

Thomas said involvement in the event has been a huge fundraising success for EPIC.

Second to hosting South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley last year, bartending at the tour has been its biggest opportunity to connect with the community and its partner organizations.

“This is not only a fundraiser for us, but this is an opportunity to meet lots of people and kind of coalesce around a similar interest,” Thomas said. “We can garner networking opportunities or relationships that we can take outside of the actual event.”

Thomas said putting a spotlight on partners that provide programs for girls, is what really makes it all worth it.

“This is a way for us to really elevate our partners and to show kind of the work that they’re doing,” she said.

Interested in participating? Reach out to Thomas at kimberly@epicgirls.org.