Employee Golf Event Raises $100,000 for Angel Tree
Employers running staff giving programs can see how a 35-year tournament sustains holiday fundraising for local families.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Alabama Power Service Organization's Angel Tree Golf Tournament raised $100,000 for Salvation Army Angel Tree gifts at Robert Trent Jones Oxmoor Valley Country Club, drawing 72 teams over a 6½-hour event. The tournament has run for 35 years, and its volunteers also plan Angel Tree shopping at Walmart in November.
Why it matters
The tournament is a longstanding employee-driven tradition at Alabama Power and Southern Company, and its fundraising sustains a charitable program that serves Birmingham-area families each holiday season. For local employers, it illustrates how sustained corporate volunteering and sponsorship can anchor community giving over decades.
The tournament raised $100,000 from 72 teams playing over 6½ hours. The event has been held for 35 years, though no prior-year totals were provided for comparison.
The players
Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO)
The employee volunteer organization of Alabama Power, the regulated electric utility serving much of the state, which runs community giving programs for its workforce.
Salvation Army
A nonprofit religious charity that operates social service programs nationally, including its Angel Tree program that provides holiday gifts to families of incarcerated parents.
Southern Company
A large regulated energy holding company whose subsidiaries include Alabama Power, serving millions of electric customers across the Southeast.
The details
Alabama Power and Southern Company employees participate in the tournament each year, and volunteers from the APSO Magic City Chapter and Power Delivery plan and organize the event. Proceeds go to Salvation Army Angel Tree gifts, which employees support by shopping from wish lists at Walmart in November. The same employee network also runs Power Delivery's 23rd annual Clay Shoot fundraiser, held Sept. 3 at Selwood Farm in Alpine, Alabama.
Timeline
Angel Tree Golf Tournament began 35 years ago and continues annually.
Clayton Bowden joined Magic City APSO in 2022.
Power Delivery's Clay Shoot fundraiser was held Sept. 3 at Selwood Farm.
APSO Magic City Chapter volunteers will shop at Walmart with Angel Tree wish lists in November.
Market Landscape
Corporate employee-volunteer fundraising through events like golf tournaments has become a recognized channel for seasonal charity, distinct from direct corporate cash grants. The Angel Tree program's long-running structure gives companies a stable, repeatable vehicle for this kind of giving.
Operators with employee giving programs should note that events tied to a recognized charity can generate meaningful sums while building team engagement. Companies weighing similar campaigns may want to review how their fundraising is tracked and reported with their accountant.
The takeaway
Sustained, repeatable employee-run events can turn a single annual tournament into a dependable community-giving line item. Operators considering a similar program should decide in advance how proceeds will be tracked and what the November shopping and tournament calendar will require of staff.
What happens next
APSO Magic City Chapter volunteers are scheduled to shop at Walmart with Angel Tree wish lists in November.
Further reading
For more on how companies structure giving programs, explore Philanthropy coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Alabama News Center.
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