The Tapemark Charity Pro-Am was founded in 1972 by Bob Klas Sr. and Pat Cody Sr. to raise money for non-profit agencies serving people with developmental and learning disabilities. In their first year, they raised $9,000. Their specific goal in creating the Tapemark Pro-Am included three important requirements they considered essential: that the event be a competitive golf event, that it be repeatable, and that the fundraising results from the tournament be commensurate with the effort to carry out the event. In all 3 areas, Klas and Cody succeeded wildly. Since that first tournament in 1972, the Tapemark Pro-Am has raised and donated more than $6,150,000 to the agencies it supports. It has become one of the four major events for the Minnesota Section of the PGA, and has been won by all the greatest professional players in Minnesota golf history. And in 2010, we will celebrate our 39th anniversary as one of the Midwest’s longest-running and most successful charity golf events.

The Tapemark Pro-Am is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It now includes a Women’s Charity Golf Event held each fall at Southview Country Club. The organization is also licensed to operate two charitable gaming facilities, the West St. Paul Bingo Palace and a pulltab installation at Dunham’s Bar in West St. Paul. These two operations have contributed greatly to the fundraising success of the entire organization.

The Tapemark Charity Pro-Am makes charitable contributions in the form of general operating grants to five organizations; Arc Greater Twin Cities, The Arc of Minnesota, Dakota Communities, ProAct, and the Learning Disabilities Program of Children’s Home Society and Family Services. At this time, we do not solicit or accept grants from other organizations. We do, however, encourage everyone we know to offer their generous support to the many worthy non-profits working hard on behalf of people with developmental and learning disabilities.