Serramonte Ford Community Partner: DCPAL

"Supporting youth through athletics, education, and community"

As a partner of the Daly City Police Athletic League (DCPAL), Serramonte Ford is pleased to assist with efforts to support schools in Daly City and surrounding areas of Colma and unincorporated Broadmoor. The DCPAL is one of the oldest non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations of its kind in the state of California. Working with the police departments, the DCPAL works tirelessly to help provide the children and teens of the community with athletic equipment, travel support, and coaching/recreational programs.

Birth of the Police Athletic League - PAL

About 100 years ago, PAL began with a rock thrown through somebody's window. A gang of New York youths was harassing storekeepers and terrifying their neighborhood. A NYC Police Department lieutenant, Ed W. Flynn, determined that there needed to be a new approach to address the problem of juvenile delinquency. After asking the gangs why they participated in this anti-social behavior, he learned that they felt that they didn't have any place to play, nothing to do, and that the cops were always hassling them. He found out that the kids couldn't even play baseball in the streets and alleys.

Flynn believed that rather than stopping the kids from playing baseball, they should instead help them form a team and give them a place to play under police supervision. Before the year was over, there were close to a dozen teams in the city. In 1910, Captain John Sweeney, began the Police Athletic League, or PAL. In 1937, PAL dedicated its first indoor youth center, and in 1941 it became incorporated under the laws of the state of New York.

Since those early days, PAL has become a household word. It has become the largest and longest running juvenile crime prevention program in the U.S., with a youth membership of over three million! The National PAL organization encompasses more than 500 cities, counties, and townships.

The Daly City PAL organization was established in 1957, the first in California. Besides its year-round sports programs, other PAL activities have also included:

Youth centers
Summer day camps
Educational programs
Employment training and placement
Youth mentoring and counseling

PAL is about shaping lives for good citizenship and helping to build character in our youth. It's about cultivating in our youngsters an appreciation for, and the ability to achieve. It's about caring. It's about hope. In short, PAL is about the kids.

Events / Fundraising

The DCPAL currently sponsors golf tournaments and accepts donations as the primary way to raise funds for all its programs. The money raised goes directly back to youth programs in the community, so the more money that is raise... the more help the DCPAL can give. Usually, the DCPAL attempts to hold two golf tournaments each year - one at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, and one at Lake Merced Golf Club. In 2022, Lake Merced Golf Club was closed for renovations and in 2023, the Olympic Club is closed for renovations.

RICHARD BREWER MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

HOSTED AT THE LAKE MERCED GOLF CLUB

In 2023, the Lake Merced Golf Club Tournament will be held on Monday, September 11th. Tickets are $450 per golfer and includes :

Golf at the private, newly renovated, 18-hole Lake Merced Golf Club
Lunch and refreshments on the course
Dinner at the elegant Clubhouse Merced Room

Click here to purchase tickets now.

The DCPAL is always looking for new sponsors to help offset the costs of holding the golf tournament and provide more funds for its youth programs. To learn more about becoming a golf tournament sponsor, Click Here.

Click here to download a printable event flyer.

OLYMPIC CLUB GOLF TOURNAMENT FUNDRAISER

As noted above, there will be no golf tournament at the Olympic Club in 2023. This tournament is expected to return in 2024. To find out more about this event, Click Here.

THE DCPAL FUNDRAISER DINNER

The DCPAL initiated a new fundraiser event in 2023. On May 19th at 5:00 pm, it held its first Fundraiser Dinner presented by Original Joe's restaurant and held at the Colma Community Center. This wonderful community event was a huge success with great food and fun had by all in attendance.

OTHER FUNDRAISING OR NON-MONETARY SUPPORT

Outside of these major fundraising events, Serramonte Ford is working with the DCPAL to pursue other ways to earn donations to assist in the DCPAL's plans to expand its support to the youth of the community. If you can help in any way, consider donating or becoming a sponsor of DCPAL yourself. You can make an online donation by Clicking Here, the DCPAL always welcomes donations of gifts and gift baskets they use to raise money with silent auctions and raffles. Contact the DCPAL HERE to become a sponsor or to discuss how you can help!