The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and its Four Winds Casinos held an event at the South Bend Country Club Thursday, where Beacon Children’s Hospital announced it plans to use proceeds from the tournament to purchase NICU2Home by AngelEye Health. It’s a seamless communication and care platform for families to engage with their clinicians while in the NICU as well as during their transition from the NICU to home. Families using the NICU2Home app experience a better understanding of care and the progress of their babies, as well as greater confidence in caring for their babies after returning home.
“The Pokagon Band and our Four Winds Casinos are very proud of our longtime sponsorship of the Four Winds Invitational, which has generated close to $1.1 million in proceeds for Beacon Health System and Beacon Children’s Hospital over the last 13 years,” said Matthew Wesaw, Chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan and Indiana. “We are looking forward to the 14th edition of the tournament this year and appreciate the continued support from the South Bend community including the City of South Bend, our sponsors, vendors, volunteers, team members, as well as our partners, the LPGA’s Epson Tour and South Bend Country Club.”
Mary Smith, Chief Operating Officer of Four Winds Casinos added, “Including this year’s purse of $225,000, we have offered over $1.9 million in prize money since we began hosting the Four Winds Invitational in 2012. Having the tournament proceeds go to Beacon Children’s Hospital, has made the Four Winds Invitational extra special not only for the players, but also everyone involved in supporting the tournament.”
City of South Bend Mayor James Mueller said, “The City of South Bend is grateful for the government-to-government partnership with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi in advancing our regional economy and supporting important community resources like Beacon Children’s Hospital, which ensures families and children get access to the care they need. Our community looks forward to hosting another great Four Winds Invitational this year.”
Greg Helmkamp, General Manager and Head Golf Professional at South Bend Country Club added, “Summer is all about golf and South Bend Country Club is very excited for the 2025 Four Winds Invitational, our fifth time hosting the tournament. The caliber of our golf course and facilities coupled with the enthusiasm from the players and support of our members and volunteers, will help make the 14th edition of the Four Winds Invitational, the best tournament yet.”
Jen Tonkovich, Director of Women and Children’s Services for Beacon Health System said, “This year’s contribution will further enhance our portfolio of life saving and maternal care equipment. We would like to thank the Pokagon Band, its Four Winds Casinos, South Bend Country Club and its members, as well as all of the sponsors and donors from the South Bend community for their continued generous support over the years. Receiving the proceeds from the Four Winds Invitational has not only helped us better serve children and families in the region, but also helped us plan for the future in ways we can continue to improve our quality of care.”
The Four Winds Invitational is part of the Epson Tour, which entered its 45th year of structured competition in 2025 and is the most established women’s qualifying tour in the world as the one “Road to the LPGA.” The tournament will take place from Friday, August 1 through Sunday, August 3 at South Bend Country Club.
Volunteers are needed to fill a variety of roles including assisting with scoring duties and serving as building attendants, caddies, cart drivers, driving range attendants, food and beverage servers, marshals and spotters, parking attendants, standard bearers, shuttle drivers, and more.
For more information and to complete the volunteer application, please visit http://fourwindsinvitational.com/volunteer/.
