At the Regions Tradition, no one plays for par. There’s good reason.
During the 2025 Regions Tradition, the field of legendary golfers scored 1,140 birdies over the four days of the tournament. While the impact of those birdies was seen on the leaderboard, they were also felt in communities throughout Alabama thanks to Birdies for Charity.
Birdies for Charity gives nonprofits the opportunity to raise funds through pledges based on the number of birdies recorded throughout the tournament.
Among the organizations that benefit is YMCA Camp Cosby.
Where Kids Learn to Be Kids
Founded in 1922 on a 200-acre plot of land north of Trussville, the camp has been serving kids and families in Alabama for more than 100 years. In 1972, the camp relocated to its current location on the east bank of Lake Logan Martin in Talladega County. Here, kids trade their phones and tablets for horse reins, water skis, climbing ropes, arts, crafts and so much more. As Executive Director Steve Merifield puts it, Camp Cosby is a place where kids can learn to be kids again.
“Kids now more than ever need a place where they’re disconnected from social media. It’s the chance to learn how to make friends. To learn how to have conversations,” Merifield said. “There’s a reason why in the dining hall, when kids are eating, it’s so noisy. Because they’re actually talking.”
Every dollar raised through Camp Cosby’s annual fundraising efforts — including Birdies for Charity — helps ensure that children, many of whom require financial assistance, can attend camp and experience its life‑changing programs.
“Part of the mission of the Y is to never turn away someone who can’t afford a program,” Merifield said. “We have a lot of people that need our help. For us, it’s the ability to say yes and support those families that makes the YMCA so special.”
Kids now more than ever need a place where they’re disconnected from social media. Steve Merifield, Executive Director
‘My Best Friends Today are People I Met at Camp Cosby’
Over the past century, Camp Cosby has welcomed hundreds of thousands of kids for summer camps and retreats. One of those campers was Charles Sullivan, Regions Data Product Partner. What started with his first camp at age 6 has turned into a lifelong commitment to Camp Cosby. He graduated to serve as a counselor and now continues to give back as a board member. The experiences he’s had there have touched every part of his life, his career at Regions and his family and friends.
“Camp encourages you to try something new, something scary, and to challenge yourself for personal growth,” said Sullivan. “It exposed me to people from different upbringings I would not have met otherwise. My best friends today are people I met at Camp Cosby, including my wife.”
So, when you’re clapping after someone sinks a long birdie this week, you’re not just cheering on that golfer. You’re also cheering on organizations like Camp Cosby.
Camp encourages you to try something new, something scary, and to challenge yourself for personal growth. Charles Sullivan, Regions Data Product Partner