Driving Out Domestic Violence: Annual celebrity charity event raises funds for victims of abuse

Driving Out Domestic Violence 

Annual celebrity charity event raises funds for victims of abuse.

By Paige Bailey

Their last names are synonymous with major league baseball: Teahen, Greinke, and Putz.

Combined, Lauren Teahen, Emily Greinke, and Kelsey Putz have decades of major league baseball in their families. This November, these wives of current and former major leaguers are pooling their efforts for a deeper purpose, Driving Out Domestic Violence.

The annual charity event was started in 2011. Teahen and her husband Mark, a retired major league baseball player, founded Driving Out Domestic Violence in honor of Lauren’s late mother, Shelley, a domestic abuse survivor.

“When I was 9 my mother was trying desperately to get away from my abusive stepfather. She had zero resources to help her and faced a devastating and dangerous time on her own with a young child. Chrysalis was the type of place she needed, yet never found. My hope is the work we do saves a victim from going through what we did all those years ago,” says Teahen.

This year, the Teahens and co-chairs Kelsey and J.J. Putz, also a retired professional baseball player, will get help from Emily and Zack Greinke, of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who will serve as honorary chairs.

“I’m happy to be co-chairing Driving Out Domestic Violence again because it is important for everyone to feel like they have a safe space to call home,” says Kelsey Putz.

The two-day event begins with a golf tournament on Nov. 2, followed by a celebrity gala on Nov. 3 at Hanger One.

Last year more than 50 celebrity athletes from MLB, NFL, NBA, and PGA, as well as 500 All-Star VIPS, turned out to raise half a million dollars for Chrysalis and victims of domestic violence. Guests will once again enjoy an evening of live music, entertainment, photo booth fun, and a one-of-a-kind silent auction benefiting Chrysalis’ domestic violence programs, plus some surprises. This year the cocktail party format will be seeing savory tasting stations by Dominick’s Steakhouse for dinner as well as appetizers and desserts. Guests will also enjoy some surprise signature drinks and special wines from the Sorso Wine Wagon.

Some of the guests scheduled to attend include Paul Konerko (MLB), Jesse Crain (MLB), Aaron Bates (MLB), Nate Jones (White Sox), Eric Sogard (Brewers), Hector Santiago (Twins), Josh Barfield MLB, Jeremy Accardo (MLB), Mike Modano (NHL), Dontrelle Willis (MLB), Ron Villone (MLB), Daniel Hudson (Pirates) Cody Ross (MLB), Adam Snyder (NFL),Trevor Cahill (Cubs), Rob Dehr (MLB), Paul Goldschmidt (Dbacks) and many more currently being confirmed.

“Zack and I are honored to be part of this event and hope this year we can help raise even more money for this very important cause,” says Greinke.

To date, Driving Out Domestic Violence Celebrity Golf & Gala has raised more than $1.5 million for Chrysalis and victims of domestic violence.

“Thanks to the dedication of the Teahens, the sports community, and those who come out to support Driving Out Domestic Violence for the past six years, we have been able to raise critical funds for Chrysalis. This is our biggest combined fundraiser of the year and all money raised provides vital services to individuals and families impacted by domestic violence,” says Patricia Klahr, President and CEO of Chrysalis

Tickets are $175 per ticket, $300 for a pair of gala tickets. Call (602) 955-9059 or visit noabuse.org for more information.

 

 

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