St. Vincent Tour de Paul USTA Men’s Tennis Tournament
The Tour de Paul tournament runs April 4 -10 at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock. This is the 31st year the tournament has been held in Little Rock and is the longest running tennis event for either men or women in the United States. It is the only Pro circuit professional men’s tennis event in Arkansas. St. Vincent has been the title sponsor for 27 years. There are several tennis related events including a dinner for players and fans to meet as well as Men’s, Mixed and Junior Pro AMs. For more information click here.

The tennis tournament includes social and tennis events throughout the week that are attended by approximately 200 people. Over 400 spectators watch the tournament over the 10 day period at Pleasant Valley Country Club. Tennis players from all over the world visit Little Rock to play in this USTA circuit.

The St. Vincent Tour de Paul Tennis Tournament has been selected as the recipient of the Arkansas Tennis Association (ATA) “Special Tennis Event of the Year award for 2010” as well as the USTA Southern Region Special Event for 2010.

St. Vincent Tour de Paul 5K
The second annual St. Vincent Tour de Paul 5K run date is April 9, 2011. It begins on the campus of St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center at Markham and University in Little Rock. Before ending back at St. Vincent, the course will take runners through the Little Rock Zoo, across the football field at War Memorial Stadium and onto the War Memorial Golf Course. Registration and information is available online at www.StVincentHealth.com/TourdePaul or by calling 501 552 2387. The entry fee is $25 per runner.

The first annual 5k Run attracted almost 200 runners and their family members. This year we expect to grow the run by double.

St. Vincent Tour de Paul 2011 Golf Tournament
The eighth annual St. Vincent Tour de Paul Golf Tournament will be played at Chenal Country Club May 9, 2011, with afternoon flights on two courses. Team fees begin at $1500/team (4 person scramble). Various sponsorships are available. Registration and information are available at www.StVincentHealth.com/TourdePaul or by calling 501 552 2382.

The tournament attracts almost 300 golfers. Honorary chairs have included Sean “the Beast” Fister and the legendary Jack Fleck. This year, we plan on adding a morning flight to the tournament to attract even more golfers on this special day. Plans are in the works for another special honorary guest for this year’s tournament.

Over $250,000 was raised to not only promote health and fitness, but to fund our New Outlook Cancer Recovery Program and the Longevity Center at St. Vincent for baby boomers and their parents.

Sponsorship levels of $20,000 and up have the opportunity of exposure at all three sporting events that run over the course of one month.

About St. Vincent de Paul

The Tour de Paul refers to St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic priest who lived in 17th century France and after whom the St. Vincent Health System is named.

There was a great deal of social unrest and poverty in Europe and throughout France at that time. As a priest, Vincent de Paul devoted his life to caring for those in greatest need. His life was marked by a devotion to the principles of simplicity, humility and service to the poor. Over time, several Catholic religious congregations were founded that patterned their own spiritual lives after Vincent. One of these was the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, founded in Kentucky in 1812. As we know, these Sisters were invited by the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock to open and operate a charity hospital to serve the needs of this City and they arrived to do this in 1888. The hospital eventually took on the name of St. Vincent and developed into the St. Vincent Health System, part of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), that we have come to know today.

Catholic health care sees itself as continuing the healing ministry of Jesus Christ as described in the Gospels and Vincent de Paul serves as an excellent role model in this regard. Even though he lived several centuries ago, his life story and example are kept alive in Catholic health care and social service organizations across the United States that have been named in his honor. For the life of spirituality and service that he lived, he is considered a Saint within the Catholic Church and an inspiration to those who work to follow his example today.

Programs such as New Outlook and the Longevity Center are seen as being very faithful to the tradition of St. Vincent de Paul.