The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has announced that the proceeds from its upcoming 13^th annual Chumash Charity Golf Classic will be distributed among five Santa Barbara County museums.

The five beneficiaries of this year’s two-day golf tournament, which will be held Aug. 23-24 at Alisal River Course, are Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum, Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum, and Wildling Museum of Art and Nature.

“These museums are great sources of knowledge and history, and they provide quality educational programming for children throughout Santa Barbara County,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “We’re in the process of planning our Chumash Museum, so we’re familiar with the resources it takes to create and maintain a high-level experience for museum guests. With that in mind, we’ve decided to make these five museums the beneficiaries of our annual charity event.”

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (2559 Puesta Del Sol, Santa Barbara), which aims to inspire a thirst for discovery and a passion for the natural world, will use the funds raised from the Chumash Charity Golf Classic to support its educational programs for children. Luke J. Swetland, the museum’s president and CEO, said the programs offer a wide variety of ways to reconnect children with nature and learn more about the wonders of the world that surrounds us.

“We are exceedingly grateful for the support that the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has offered us through the years,” Swetland said. “And we are very thankful to have the tribe as a partner in our efforts to educate and inspire the people of Santa Barbara County and beyond.”

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (113 Harbor Way, Suite 190,
Santa Barbara) strives to inspire and educate the young people who will inherit the care of the Santa Barbara coastline.

Funds received from the Chumash Charity Golf Classic will support the museum’s youth education programs, which serve up to 8,000 youth annually. One such offering is the Spirit of Dana Point Tall Ship Overnight Education Program, which gives fourth-graders studying California history the unique opportunity to live like a 1830s sailor for one night.

The Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum (705 S McClelland St., Santa Maria), aims to foster family and youth-inspired learning by creating experiences to “explore ourselves, our valley, our world and beyond.” In its 21st year, it currently serves more than 32,000 children and their families.

Proceeds from the tournament will help support the museum’s weekly education programs, such as Tuesday Tales, Preschool Patrol, Passport Thursday, Fit Friday, Science Saturday and Super Sunday.

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature (1511-B Mission Drive, Solvang) uses art as a tool to inspire the community and visitors to enjoy, value and conserve wildlife and natural areas. The programs it offers help visitors understand the environment care for nature’s dwindling wilderness areas.

Wildling, which recently relocated from a site in Los Olivos, will put funds raised by the Chumash Charity Golf Classic toward its ongoing campaign to purchase the museum’s current space on the corner of Mission Drive and Fifth Street.

The Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum (3596 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez), which was originally organized in 1961, celebrates the rich history of the Santa Ynez Valley, its pioneering settlers and the five early townships that formed the foundation of the region.

The museum is committed to creating a better future for the Santa Ynez Valley by inspiring generations to find wonder and meaning in the past. Proceeds from the golf tournament will be used for conserving, preserving and exhibiting of the museum’s collection.

Since its inaugural event in 2005, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ annual golf tournament has raised more than $1 million for local charities and nonprofits. Past beneficiaries include the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, Dream Foundation, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Santa Barbara County, Lompoc Family YMCA, Unity Shoppe, Friends of the Library of Santa Ynez Valley and Buellton Senior Center, among others.

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has donated more than $20 million to hundreds of groups, organizations and schools in the community and across the nation as part of the tribe’s long-standing tradition of giving. To find out more about the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation and its giving programs, visitwww.santaynezchumash.org.