Ryan Kowalis wins Lexus Champions for Charity Raffle at Kennedy Golf Outing

Sometimes perseverance pays off ? in this case, twelvefold.

Ryan Kowalis, whose family has been a longtime supporter of St. Coletta?s of Illinois, purchased 12 raffle tickets at the organization?s annual Kennedy Golf Outing and walked away as the winner of the Lexus Champions for Charity raffle.

This December, Kowalis will travel to the legendary Pebble Beach Resorts in California, to compete in the Lexus Champions for Charity National Championship. The three-day tournament, played across Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill and The Links at Spanish Bay, pairs a world-class golf experience with charitable giving, bringing together players from across the country to raise funds for local nonprofits.

Since its inception in 1989, the Lexus Champions for Charity program has raised over $500 million nationwide to benefit thousands of charities.

?The Kowalis family has stood behind St. Coletta?s for many years, and we are so excited to see Ryan representing us at Pebble Beach,? said Heather Benedick, St. Coletta?s CEO. ?We?ll be cheering him on and hoping he brings home some winnings to help us continue providing life-changing programs for children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities.?

Even beyond crowning a winner, the Lexus raffle was a success for St. Coletta?s: every ticket purchased helped support educational, vocational and residential programs for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. This year?s raffle alone raised more than $20,000 to support St. Coletta?s mission.

Proceeds from the Kennedy Golf Outing, along with fundraising tied to Lexus Champions for Charity, directly fuel St. Coletta?s mission of empowering individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities across the south and southwest suburbs of Chicago.

For more information about St. Coletta?s of Illinois and its mission, please visit www.stcolettasofil.org.