Marcus Mariota hosts 8th annual Motiv8 Foundation charity golf tournament

EWA BEACH — As part of his offseason routine, NFL quarterback Marcus Mariota was back home in Hawai’i to host his annual Motiv8 Foundation charity golf tournament Monday afternoon at the Hoakalei Country Club.

It was the eighth edition of the tournament and also served as a 10-year commemoration since Mariota won the Heisman Trophy playing for the Oregon Ducks. The event helps raise funds for Motiv8, whose goals include providing positive educational and athletic outlets for kids of all ages, distributing food and supplies to the homeless and others in need while also giving back to communities, including those that shaped Mariota’s personal journey.

“Every year is so special for us. “This is really cool, the eighth annual year, and crazy to think that it’s been 10 years since the Heisman,” said Mariota.

“What’s really cool is Motiv8 has made a difference and it’s thanks to the support and the generosity of so many people. A lot of people has been here since day one, so to be able to enjoy this (eighth) year with everybody is cool for us.”

Some of the non-profit activities and donations that Mariota and Motiv8 — with the help of many various partnerships — did over the course of the previous year include: a health-inspired wellness day in Hilo, providing new Nike cleats to football players affected by the Lahaina fires on Maui, donated $25,000 towards a new weight room for Special Olympics Hawai’i, represented the Maui Humane Society in the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats movement and provided beds for kids and families in need in Oregon.

The Lahainaluna High and Intermediate Football program as well as the Lahainaluna Pop Warner Chiefs were also recipients of the annual Ardel Deppe Community Award, which was created as a tribute to Mariota’s late grandfather Ardel Deppe. The award comes with a $5,000 equipment credit from Riddell.

“Very fortunate football has kind of given me a platform, but it’s truly the generosity of the people that support Motiv8 that make it what it is,” said Mariota. “For us, it’s very important to be able to put this together not only just to say thank you, but kind of raise awareness and to kind of define maybe what’s going to happen over the course of next year for people. It’s truly a blessing.”