Oct 14, 2026

Lithia & Driveway Golf Tournament Raises $164K to Fight Breast Cancer

Play-for-a-Cure Golf Tournament Raises over $160K !

To raise breast cancer awareness and show solidary with those dealing with the disease, Lithia & Driveway (LAD) hosted its fourth annual Play for a Cure golf tournament in Springfield, Oregon, on October 2–3, raising over $164,000 for the American Cancer Society’s Men Wear Pink campaign.

Over 200 people from across the country participated in the two-day event that featured a kick-off dinner and silent auction at the Gordon Hotel in Eugene and 18 holes of fundraising golf at the scenic Pine Ridge Golf Course.

“This year’s tournament had the largest number of teams ever, achieving its highest fundraising total to date,” says Brittany Osterhout, Senior Manager of LAD Community Relations. “As always, our goal was to deliver a great golf experience for donors and sponsors while strongly supporting breast cancer awareness and those fighting the disease.”

Our Special Honoree: Lesha Wood

To highlight one woman’s story, we dedicated our Play for a Cure golf tournament to Lesha Wood, a Senior Technical Project Manager with nearly 25 years at LAD, who is living with Stage 4 breast cancer.

Lesha shared her story in a moving letter to the tournament’s participants. She described her journey in touching and thoughtful words, inspiring everyone with her positive attitude, courage, and resilience. From the beginning, Lesha decided to take an active role in her care and treatment by asking questions, educating herself, building the right medical team, and making informed decisions.

She’s remained proactive throughout her long journey through radiation, chemo, and surgery. She concluded her letter by stating, “I am a survivor, a fighter, a wife, a mother, and a woman still writing her story. My diagnosis may be part of my life, but it is not the end of my story. I am far from finished.”

Lesha Wood (at left) credits the strong support of her family (at center); the quiet loyalty of her beloved dogs (at right); her country-girl grit and faith; and all the skills she’s acquired as a longtime LAD project manager in her fight against breast cancer.

Men Wear Pink Campaign Inspires Teamwork & Community

The American Cancer Society’s Men Wear Pink campaign engages community leaders and influencers in the fight to end breast cancer. For more than a decade, dedicated ambassadors have raised over $50 million to support this lifesaving mission.

Matt Sidman, Regional Aftersales Director for LAD in Eugene, is in his seventh year as a Men Wear Pink ambassador. Recalling the teamwork and spirit behind the tournament, he said, “We have such an incredible team, and we all work for such an amazing company that allows us to pull together for our friends and neighbors. This was our most successful year yet. We did some FUNdraising!”

Thirty-four teams of four players—comprised of LAD leaders, team members, and vendor partners—enjoy a sunny day of golf while supporting the Men Wear Pink campaign.

Vendor-Sponsors Drive Donations

Over 20 vendors from several states donated to play, contributing to our “best yet” Men Wear Pink fundraiser. In fact, as of this writing, Matt Sidman was in first place for the nationwide Men Wear Pink campaign in fundraising, which runs through October.

Curtis Elmore, Strategic Account Manager for Advance Auto Parts in North Carolina, attended the tournament and noted, “Everything was fantastic, from the dinner through the end of the tournament. I was truly impressed by the turnout and by how well the entire event was organized. We were grateful for the opportunity to participate and support the cause.”