Much like calling football plays, finding ways to support before- and after-school programs for children and teens in need takes strategic thinking and heavy lifting. And the good news is the right leadership team is on the field. Andrew Barkis, Lacey business owner and long-time volunteer with Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County (BGCTC), recently met with BGCTC CEO Shellica Trevino, BGCTC Director of Resource Development Mike Babauta, and former Seattle Seahawks player and NFL coach Mike Tice along with his wife Diane. They got together in Lacey to fine-tune the playbook for the upcoming Mike Tice Foundation Celebrity Golf Fundraiser that benefits the local Boys & Girls Clubs and other charitable organizations serving youth.
Barkis says the BGCTC, a recipient of the foundation’s donations, is actively engaged with the fundraising dinner auction and golf tourney on July 12-13, 2026, at the Clearwater Casino Resort in Suquamish and the White Horse Golf Club in Kingston. “They are ‘all in,’” Barkis says of BGCTC’s leaders. “They are actively participating in the process.”
Barkis serves on the Tice foundation’s board and is working closely with Tice and tournament sponsors. Tice confidently projects the foundation’s sixth annual golf tourney will raise even more funds than in past years. “I am really excited about the event this year,” Tice says.
Mike Tice Foundation’s Impactful Donations Boost Kids’ Participation in Boys & Girls Clubs and Area Youth Programs
During his 36-year NFL career, Tice’s role was as a player and coach. Now Tice serves as an enthusiastic fan and booster of youth programs like Boys & Girls Clubs. At the clubs, kids and teens find a place to belong, try new things, and just be themselves through after-school programs, homework help and support for school success. Tice’s foundation has provided scholarships for youth experiencing housing insecurity and free club memberships through the BGCTC’s and the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound’s branches in Mason and Kitsap counties. “The impact here in Thurston County, and other clubs, is huge,” says Barkis.
“They know it’s the right thing, and they say ‘yes’ over and over,” adds Trevino of Tice’s foundation. “They advocate for kids.” She says last year the foundation’s funds helped serve 157 local youth with scholarships to participate in BGCTC activities.
Tice’s fundraising started as a small golf activity by family and friends in 2011 and grew into hosting a premier Pacific Northwest charity golf tournament. They began by donating $25,000 to a Boys & Girls Club in Nevada, and by 2018, they had raised over $1.6 million to fund a new clubhouse. Tice created the nonprofit foundation in 2019 to expand their efforts.
Barkis met Tice several years ago through friends and learned of Tice’s fundraising activities in Nevada. As a BGCTC board member, Barkis encouraged him to consider the local Boys & Girls Clubs in Washington as well. Tice’s Pacific Northwest connections originated with his playing days as a Seahawks tight end plus his volunteer work with youth football in Mason County. While he now resides in Las Vegas, those Washington relationships meant he was “all in” to coach his foundation through the plays needed to broaden its geographic impact. “It’s really great how it started so organically, through friendships,” says Barkis. Currently the foundation partners with charitable organizations across five states where Tice lived and worked. In 2025 the foundation donated over $165,000 to 13 charity programs supporting youth.
2026 Premier Golf Event Supporting Local Kids is a Touchdown by Professional Athletes, Celebrities and Local Sponsors
Spend just a few minutes with Tice and Diane and you see how enthusiastically hands-on they are in planning their popular golf tournament, from coordinating the VIP dinner auction, to working with local sponsors, organizing the golf rounds, and much more. Tice expects sold-out sponsorships, with 160 golfers and more than 220 dinner auction attendees.
Inviting professional athletes and celebrities is one of Tice’s key jobs. The 2026 star-studded lineup includes Seahawks Hall of Famer Steve Largent, Seattle Supersonics Hall of Famer Jack Sikma, Seahawks Ring of Honor quarterback Jim Zorn, celebrity chef and Tournament of Champions winner Antonia Lofaso, and Eastern Washington University basketball head coach Dan Monson, to name just a few of the legends from around the country who will be participating. Tice says he is quite pleased with positive responses to this year’s invitations. “I am so excited about the celebrities we have,” he says.
It’s easy to make the call – the BGCTC/Mike Tice Foundation partnership is a touchdown. “The connection with the Boys and Girls Clubs has been amazing!” says Barkis. “I am very proud of the money we have raised and contributed to the clubs.” To learn more or donate directly, see the foundation’s website for the Mike Tice Foundation Celebrity Golf Fundraiser.
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