​Kendall Gill has been a familiar presence in Champaign each summer for nearly forty years. The former Illinois basketball standout wasted no time after graduation in launching a charitable golf outing, and his ongoing support for Cunningham Children’s Home in Urbana remains steadfast to this day. The 37th Annual Kendall Gill Golf Benefit is set to begin Monday at the University of Illinois Golf Course in Savoy, featuring flights on both the Orange and Blue courses. Gill and his family will once again host the event, directing funds toward programs that assist youth and families served by Cunningham, including the boys’ group home named in Gill’s honor.
Over the past 36 years, the annual outing has raised more than $900,000 for Cunningham, which serves more than 958 youth and families each year. “It’s wonderful to see everyone coming out to support the outing,” Gill remarked. “We participate in this event for a meaningful cause, helping children who have faced tough circumstances in life. Each year, it has become a cherished mid-July tradition that brings people together for a shared purpose.”
To accommodate golfers, two waves will start from the two courses in a shotgun format. Gill and Illinois men’s basketball coach Brad Underwood will address participants ahead of the first wave, while Gill, Underwood, and women’s basketball coach Shauna Green will speak prior to the second wave’s tee-off. “The Kendall Gill Golf Benefit has evolved into so much more than a day on the greens,” explained Ginger Mills, Cunningham’s director of advancement. “For 37 years, it has united people who believe in giving children hope and brighter opportunities. We are deeply grateful to Kendall and his family for their unwavering dedication to our mission, and to the sponsors, golfers, volunteers and community members whose ongoing generosity sustains this event year after year. Their support changes lives, and we could not do this essential work without them.”