John Anderson's charity golf event kicks off with Sunday gathering

COLUMBIA — A pre-event gathering to Monday's John Anderson Celebrity Golf Invitational is planned for Sunday evening at Shiloh Bar and Grill in downtown Columbia. 

ESPN SportsCenter anchor John Anderson, a 1987 graduate of the MU School of Journalism, is hosting the golf event Monday at the Country Club of Missouri to benefit the Anderson Family Charitable Foundation, which was formed in 2009 to assist underserved elementary school-aged children in public school systems. A portion of the proceeds will also go to the Buddy Pack program of The Food Bank (formerly the Central Missouri Food Bank). The Buddy Pack program provides food for school children in 20 counties in The Food Bank’s service area.

Area celebrities set to appear include Mizzou football legends Mel Gray, Johnny Roland and Chase Daniel as well as Wyoming head football coach and former Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen, longtime KOMU-TV sports director Chris Gervino, and ESPN “Dream Job” winner, MU graduate and current Big Ten Network anchor Mike Hall.

Several are expected to join Anderson from 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Shiloh, which is having a $5 pizza special with all of the proceeds to be added to the money raised at the golf event.