The 20th Anniversary of the Drive Fore Mobility Golf Tournament

By Michael Copeland

InKen Behring’s book, The Road to Leadership, he shares his transformation from a man of means, business success and personal accomplishments to a person of purpose. In 2000, he placed a little girl in Vietnam into her very own wheelchair. This gentle act of kindness filled a void in him that no amount of money, no collection of cars and not even ownership of a professional football team had ever brought him. It had everything to do with finding and sustaining joy.

I recently sat down with Ken’s son David, President of the Wheelchair Foundation, to talk about his father’s legacy and the lasting appeal of their Drive Fore Mobility golf fundraiser benefiting the Wheelchair Foundation that to date has donated over 1.8 million wheelchairs to grateful recipients in over 156 countries.

“Since its inception, we’ve only missed the golf tournament two times. In 2020, due to the outbreak of the COVID pandemic and one year it directly conflicted with our Foundation’s 1,000,000 Wheelchairs Gala.” David says the popularity and ultimate success of the annual golf event is in large part thanks to four contributing factors. 1. Corporate sponsors, companies and individuals who support the cause, 2. The beautiful Blackhawk golf course, 3. The day/event itself, which has food, games or spirits on every hole and, 4. The auction which procures rare and unusual items with a heavy emphasis on special wine packages. “Our committee, of roughly 10 people, with two co-chairs, do an amazing job each year and we couldn’t be prouder of our success.”

“I never fully understood the importance and impact these wheelchairs make to people in impoverished parts of the world. You’ll come away changed”, said former KTVU Sports Director and longtime Drive Fore Mobility MC, Mark Ibanez who has been on two wheelchair missions.

“The Behring Global Education Foundation is actually the umbrella organization that oversees not only the Wheelchair Foundation, but the Blackhawk Museum as well,” David informed me. “The Wheelchair Foundation’s mission is to bring mobility to every child, teen and adult in the world who needs a wheelchair, but can’t afford one,” David added. During our conversation, David said most of us can’t imagine such an impoverished area where people literally drag themselves throughout the streets. A wheelchair provides these individuals with a sense of freedom, dignity and social interaction that quite simply expands their world.

Proceeds from the annual golf event stock shipping containers full of wheelchairs that different groups and organizations deliver throughout the world, including but not limited to Latin America, Asia, Eastern Europe, China and Africa. Mexico is a favorite recipient country of the Wheelchair Foundation as many of their cherished partners in that part of the world know exactly how to get chairs to the people most in need. As a Rotarian of 23 years, David enjoys working with Rotary clubs and they have been responsible for sponsoring almost ¼ of all wheelchairs donated. David adds, “we encourage many of our donors to bring along their teenage children to experience international community service which often makes a huge transformation in their lives.

This year’s Drive Fore Mobility golf tournament and auction takes place on August 21st at the Blackhawk Country Club. For more details visit their website at https://www.wheelchairfoundation.org/ event/20th-annual-drive-fore-mobility-golf-tournament/