Sara Gongora of the Parent Institute for Quality Education accepts $50,000 donation from Sycuan Tribal Chairman, Daniel Tucker (center) and Tribal Treasurer Cody Martinez. Photo by Zwink.com

San Diego, CA (October 11, 2007) The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation will host its
17th Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Thursday, October 11, 2007 to benefit The Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE). PIQE was founded by Dr. Vahac Mardirosian and Dr. Alberto Ochoa in San Diego, California in 1987. It’s now a California statewide organization
that brings families, schools, community and business together as partners in the education of every child that provides services for individuals living with severe physical disabilities.
Each year Sycuan selects a charity based on its commitment to the community, PIQE provides the information and tools that parents, especially low-income immigrants need, to become more involved in their children’s education.

“Sycuan is honored to partner with such a unique and dedicated organization for our annual tournament,” said Daniel Tucker, Sycuan Tribal Chairman. “The purpose of the golf tournament is to give back to those organizations that go out of their way every day to improve the lives of others, PIQE is the perfect example of that commitment.”

Since the PIQE program started in Sherman Elementary School, October 1987, more than 375,000 parents have graduated from PIQE's (9 week) parent involvement training classes from 1,500 elementary, middle and high schools in districts within San Diego, Los Angeles, Fresno,
San Jose, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Monterey, Sacramento, Stanislaus, Alameda, San Francisco, and Shasta counties. In addition, approximately 20,000 parents have participated in PIQE's follow-up "coaches" program that provides one-on-one information to parents during a four-month period on how to access school services and promote the aims of PIQE for parent involvement.

The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation has committed a minimum donation of $50,000 to PIQE, regardless of how much is raised at the event. The more money raised, the larger Sycuan’s donation will be. Several local businesses and professional sports teams are participating in the tournament and have already made donations.

The Sycuan Resort and Casino Golf Courses, formerly Singing Hills Country Club, offer players of all levels 54 holes of golf on three challenging courses. Located just 30 minutes east of downtown San Diego in El Cajon’s Dehesa Valley, the Sycuan Resort, has earned a reputation as one of San Diego’s premier golfing destinations and has been chosen as the most popular golf course by the San Diego Business Journal and the SignOn San Diego Reader’s Poll two years in a row.

For information about The Parent Institute for Quality Education, visit www.piqe.org.

		CONTACTS:
		Sandy Swenson Sycuan Resort & Casino 619-445-6002