Photo by Brad Glazier
A day on the golf course in Wilmington helps raise money for the Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children.
Shortly after Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015 at age 46, friends and colleagues teed up for a cause close to his heart: protecting children and confronting child abuse.
Held at Wilmington Country Club, the 2015 tournament was the first fundraiser for the Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children. This year’s event, scheduled for September 13, has already sold out.
While participants are eager to play Wilmington Country Club’s two courses and step onto Bidermann Golf Course’s hallowed links, foursomes are paying $2,600 to salute Major Joseph Robinette “Beau” Biden III’s legacy.
“Beau always believed that we, as adults, have a legal and moral obligation to stand up and speak out for children who are being abused. That belief was a cornerstone of his time as attorney general,” says Hallie Biden, the foundation’s board chair. “Through the Beau Biden Foundation, we remember and honor Beau’s commitment to shielding children from abuse and trauma.”
The event helps fund accredited programs for youth-serving organizations, frontline professionals, parents and families.
For instance, educators and guidance counselors participate in one-hour workshops to recognize the signs of abuse and neglect. So do cafeteria workers, custodians and bus drivers—“folks that see what other people may not see,” says the foundation’s executive director, Patty Dailey Lewis, previously the Delaware Department of Justice deputy attorney general. “Custodians are an important source in terms of preventing and reporting abuse.”
The foundation has created workshops on internet safety and classes that teach participants how predators “groom” their victims. The newest program, “Children Emerging from Trauma,” focuses on children home with abusers during the pandemic.
To date, the foundation has trained nearly 25,000 people—and not just in Delaware. It has held workshops in 23 states, including California.
The Child Protection Classic and other events, including the Run for Child Protection 5K in November, not only raise funds but also spread the word about what’s often a hidden problem.
“We are extremely thankful to all our supporters and sponsors,” Hallie Biden says. “Their generosity helps carry on Beau’s mission to protect children and confront child abuse and exploitation.”
