Started 24 years ago, the Mary Cooper Memorial Golf Challenge was started to raise friends, funds, and awareness for Miriam’s Promise. It is named after Mary Cooper, a lifelong supporter of Miriam’s Promise. Mother Mary, as many people called her, helped to create what is now called Miriam’s Promise in 1984 on the floor of the legacy Tennessee Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. As a legal secretary, Mary became a top adoption expert in Middle Tennessee helping to coordinate hundreds of adoptions. Her legacy will be felt in the adoption community for generations.

Mary raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Miriam’s Promise through our annual golf challenge, which was named in her honor in 2011. She led the event committee for several years and could always be seen at the putting contest where she would make sure that everyone that came through knew the Miriam’s Promise story, why they were there, and thanked them for participating.

Each year, we also give out a “Spirit of the Cooper” award to someone or a group who embodies the life of Mary Cooper and has faithfully supported Miriam’s Promise over the last year. In years past, we have awarded this to Calvary United Methodist Church, Mary Wilson, and Joe Dunn.