Putting for a Purpose at the ALA Conference

The Tin Cup Challenge charity event at the 2026 American Lighting Association Conference benefited the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.

The Tin Cup Challenge took place on the second day of the ALA Conference, which was held at the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson. Sponsored by Ferguson Home and hosted by ALA’s NextGen Leadership Circle committee (formerly known as the Young Executives), the theme of the Tin Cup Challenge was “Fueling Connection, Creativity, and Giving Back.”

In a blend of teambuilding, networking and philanthropy (along with snacks, beer, and soft drinks), ALA attendees were randomly assigned a series of miniature golf holes to design and build using identical boxes fill with the same canned goods (corn, green beans, diced tomatoes, tuna fish, tomato sauce) and boxed items (mac and cheese). Creativity was rewarded as were the best golf scores. At the end of the event, all of the canned and boxed goods were packed into the shipping boxes and loaded onto the Community Food Bank’s truck to be distributed locally to the areas they serve. Even the putting green carpets were repurposed for shelters to use in harsh weather.  

Tasked with coming up with a design for their respective golf holes, the teams enjoyed collaborating and socializing while building each mini course. (Editor’s Note: The team that secretly used ChatGPT to design their course – inputting the exact number of cans and brands plus the prompt to be creative with the design – did not win a prize, so that’s a win for human creativity versus machine).    

After the golf courses were built, it was time for the round robin-like mini tournament. The teams rotated around the room to play the different holes and try to outmaneuver the various “obstacles” at some of the holes.   

The event was a resounding success, especially for introducing Conference first-timers to those who regularly attend Conference. It was also a fun opportunity for even long-time industry members who did not yet know each other to become acquainted.

Representatives from the Community Food Bank were on hand to detail what their organization does and how donations like those from the ALA Conference Tin Cup Challenge benefited local communities in southern Arizona that are facing food scarcity.

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