When they started working together on construction projects several years ago, long before they became part of the same company, Kitchell and hardison/downey construction inc. (h/dc) realized they had common visions, goals and values, resulting in increased work and revenues. But in the past year their shared passion for one particular cause is reaping benefits outside the building industry – for breast cancer research.
At its recent “Build Fore Good” golf tournament at Kierland golf course, the two companies raised nearly $30,000 benefiting the John C. Lincoln Breast Health & Research Center.
“As the statistics indicate, most everyone knows someone impacted by breast cancer in some way,” said Kitchell CEO Jim Swanson. “Our companies, while predominantly male, are highly attuned to this issue because of our loved ones who have been impacted by breast cancer.”
The tournament sold out quickly with 144 golfers playing in a scramble format. The title sponsor was Blount Contracting Inc., and many other partners and subcontractors that enjoy work relationships with Kitchell and hardison/downey also donated generously to support this year’s cause.
One “Build Fore Good” golfer hit the jackpot, literally, when he left the tournament with an Audi A4 after shooting a hole-in-one. Participants also had the chance to win a hole-in-one Harley Davidson, and an Octane Raceway package by clocking the fastest tee-to-putt play on one of the longest holes on the course.
“We work hard and play hard – and when we play, we want to do it for a cause that’s near and dear to us – breast cancer research clearly hits a nerve with a lot of guys,” said hardison/downey President Pat Downey.
According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, in 2012 breast cancer was the most frequently diagnosed cancer in among females in Arizona. This is a statistic that mirrors national figures of 119 out of 100,000 women of all races diagnosed with the disease.
The John C. Lincoln Breast Health & Research Center, located at the John C. Lincoln Deer Valley campus, was the first center in Arizona and the second in the country to use digital, low-dose 3D mammography, and currently the facility performs more 3D mammograms than anywhere in the world. Last year the Center performed 26,868 exams and served individuals from more than 200 zip codes. The Center was recently named a Brest Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR), the national professional organization for physicians specializing in medical imaging. This is a designation held by only 7 percent of the country’s 8,600 breast imaging centers.
