The first annual event raised $10,000 to help fight kidney disease
At UG2, being involved in our local communities is crucial to who we are as an organization. We’re continually looking for new ways to give back and support meaningful causes. So, when UG2 Northern California team members, Matt Montanez (Engineering Manager) and David Montanez (Chief Engineer), told us about the 1st Annual Montanez Golf Invitational – in support of the National Kidney Foundation – we were thrilled to participate as a platinum sponsor.
We were fortunate enough to sit down with Matt and David to learn more about their journey to host their very first golf tournament in which they raised an impressive $10,000 to help fight kidney disease. This donation will go towards NKF patient programs that offer resources in a variety of ways, such as webinars, nutrition and education classes, peer mentor programs, a toll-free hotline, and more.
Supporting the National Kidney Foundation is especially meaningful for the Montanez brothers because their mother suffers from Alport Syndrome, a genetic kidney condition, which causes rapid damage to blood vessels in the kidney and can be fatal. Currently, she is in stage 5 of kidney failure and on dialysis treatment. Unfortunately, Alport Syndrome runs in their family, and they have experienced the loss of family members due to kidney failure.
The Montanez family has been involved with the National Kidney Foundation for years. Besides participating in NFK walks, Matt and David’s father used to host a charity golf tournament of his own where he invited industry engineers, tradespeople, friends, and family. A portion of the proceeds from the tournament went to support NKF. It was their father’s legacy of hosting golf tournaments and their mother’s own struggle with kidney issues that inspired the brothers to host their very own tournament.
Matt and David originally planned to host the tournament in 2020, but when the pandemic hit, it was put on hold. As people started to get vaccinated and mingle outside of their homes again, the Montanez brothers decided that 2022 would be the year to just go for it, even if they didn’t know what kind of traction the event would receive.
Planning the tournament was certainly a family effort. During our conversation, Matt and David thoroughly acknowledged that things would not have gone as smoothly as they did without the help of their wives, Dana and Jenny. They assisted with many components from logistics to helping with decor and making centerpieces to helping to check golfers in. When the hired photographer couldn’t make it to the event, Jenny stepped in to take pictures.
Matt and David were unsure of what to expect in terms of a turnout. Matt told us their original goal was to get 75 golfers and a $3,000 donation. But in the end, they had developed a waitlist, more than 120 guests showed up, and with help from their sponsors, they were able to raise $10,000 to donate. When asked about how it felt to make this contribution David said, “It’s great – definitely unexpected. But it’s nice to know the support is there, not only for us but for the cause.”
All in all, the tournament was a major success. Everyone had a great time playing golf, despite the rainy weather, and two representatives from the National Kidney Foundation were at the event to share information and tips for keeping your kidneys healthy. The representatives also helped Matt and David’s mother with some additional resources she could use during her treatment.
Even the impact the tournament had on strangers was extraordinary. Matt told us that people he had never met before reached out to him after the event to express their gratitude. Some of these individuals suffer from kidney disease themselves and were glad to see the Montanez brothers doing their part to support the National Kidney Foundation. Matt said, “It was really cool seeing the warmth from the industry – of people I know well and people I have never met before”.
The Montanez brothers are already planning for next year’s tournament. They are beyond grateful for how the event went and are even more hopeful for the next one. Matt and David were worried that the tournament would flop, but it turned out to be an amazing day, and the support they received from our industry was outstanding.
UG2 congratulates our own Matt Montanez and David Montanez on a successful tournament. We are looking forward to supporting the Montanez Golf Invitational each year.
Find resources about kidney health here: https://www.kidney.org/kidney-basics