The 2015 Emmitt Smith Celebrity Golf Invitational Charity Weekend was kicked off in grand style at the beautiful Preston Hollow home of Lisa and Steve Lieberman on Tuesday, January 20.

Pat and Emmitt Smith thanked event chairs, Sarah and Jud Chapin, honorary chairs Matrice and Ron Kirk, kickoff party hosts Lisa and Steve Lieberman, as well as all event sponsors for graciously offering their time and resources to make the 2015 Emmitt Smith Celebrity Invitational a success. Proceeds from the weekend will go to Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities (PESC), a 501(c)(3) public charity that creates and funds unique educational experiences and enrichment opportunities for underserved children.

For the first year, Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities has named Educational First Steps as a beneficiary partner for this year’s Emmitt Smith Celebrity Invitational. A percentage of funds raised from the golf tournament will go toward Educational First Steps, a North Texas nonprofit that transforms existing daycare centers in at-risk neighborhoods into nationally accredited preschools.

“Emmitt and I are thrilled to host this weekend-long fundraiser for the Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities. It is a true labor of love for us, and we feel blessed by the opportunity to provide for underserved children in our community. We are gratified by the continued support of our friends, family, colleagues and our ever-generous corporate sponsors. Because of their faithfulness, our plans for national expansion of the Smith Charities will be realized much sooner than we ever dreamed possible,” Pat Smith said.

The Emmitt Smith Celebrity Invitational weekend, presented by SoftLayer, will commence on Friday, May 8, with a celebrity reception, red carpet entry, dinner and live auction party at the Omni Hotel Dallas and continue on Saturday, May 9, with 18-hole charity golf tournament at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney.

Sponsors for the 2015 Emmitt Smith Celebrity Invitation Charity Weekend (as of press time)

The Emmitt Smith Celebrity Invitational has raised more than $4.0 million in support of Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities. Past beneficiaries include After-School All-Stars North Texas, Autism Speaks, Boys and Girls Clubs of Collin County, C5 Youth Foundation, Community Council of Greater Dallas, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas Symphony Association, Dallas Tennis Association, Dallas Wind Symphony, Foundation for the Education of Young Women, Fort Worth Public Library, Hendrick Scholarship Foundation, The Jason Terry Foundation, Inc., LeadersKids Fort Worth, ManeGait, Minnie’s Food Pantry, North Texas Food Bank, North Texas Youth Education Town Center – The Salvation Army, Play Like a Girl, Rainbow Days, The Turning Point, and many more. Funds also go to PESC’s own Team 22 program, which provides personal mentoring and unique experiences to underserved youth in the
North Texas area. The program is a gateway that opens doors to the future for high-potential kids.

Tickets for the Friday Night Party begin at $500, and gallery passes for the Saturday Golf Tournament are ^$50 each.  For ticket and sponsorship details, go to www.emmittsmith.com/celebrity-invitational or contact tifani@ejsmithenterprises.com or 972-515-7704.

Friday, May 8^th  at the Omni Hotel Dallas

• 6 p.m. – Celebrity Reception
• 6:30 p.m. – Red Carpet Entry
• 7 p.m. – Live Auction
• 7:30 p.m. – Dinner and Party

Saturday, May 9^th  at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney

• 9 a.m. – Charity golf tournament