Long drive pro to host charity golf event to benefit special needs children

Professional Long Driver Andrew “Thor” Herbert is planning to host the Thor’s Challenge Charity Golf Classic Saturday, Oct. 30, at Keller’s Crossing at Stone Creek in Makanda.

The event will benefit special needs children, both locally, through organizations such as The Autism Society of Southern Illinois, Hadley’s Haven and Camp Little Giant; and special needs programs within school districts throughout the region and nationwide, through the Easterseals Foundation and the Federation for Children with Special Needs.

Herbert played golf at Anna-Jonesboro Community High School. He went on to play collegiate golf in Savannah, Ga.
Years later, in 2017, he decided to begin training for the Professional Long Driver Tour (hosted by NBC Sports and The Golf Channel).

After three years on tour, he is a three-time World Championship finalist, has been ranked as high as 21st in the world, with his farthest drive to date topping out at 482 yards, as well as gaining the nickname “Thor.”

Herbert now travels the country to assist various charities at their own golf outings to assist in their fund-raising efforts and enhance support for their causes. 

After seeing how successful these events are for the recipients in need, he wants to bring his own outing to his hometown of Makanda, to assist special needs children.

With his wife, Amanda, mother and father, Kent and Nancy, of Makanda, and brother and sister-in-law, Adam and Amy, of Acworth, Ga., they have created the TLD Charity Foundation, a non-profit charity organization.

The sole purpose of the organization is to serve as an advocate for the special needs community by raising support, awareness and resources enabling special needs children to live more fulfilling lives, full of opportunity. 

The inspiration for the founding of the organization comes from his nephew, Ben. 

Ben is an intelligent, kind and hilarious 8-year-old, as well as a talented artist; he is also on the autism spectrum. 

To show support for Ben, Herbert wears an Autism Awareness patch on his shirt at all the competitions and events he hits at. 

Herbert says that during these events, there is always at least one person or group who comes up to him to ask about the patch and then shares their own story with him of a child with varying abilities or special needs after he proudly shares his reason for wearing it. 

Herbert said that more than 3 million children in the United States “live with special needs or varying abilities – this number is steadily rising over time and the TLD Charity Foundation wants those who have a child in need to know they are not alone and we are here to help provide a network of support.”

To learn how to support the TLD Charity Foundation, to sign up a team for their outing, to donate to their cause or to consider one of their sponsorship opportunities, visit the event website at www.winningticket.com/thors-challenge.