Our Story
From a Backyard Roast to a
Community Tradition
It all started back in 1996 when René Mondejar III got his crew together for a golf outing before their Fantasy Football Draft. A few years later it turned into a full tournament, always ending with a Cuban Pig Roast—prepared by his father, also named René Mondejar, who flew in from Florida to cook. The elder Mr. Mondejar was a Cuban immigrant, raised in New York City by his aunt and uncle, a proud Army veteran who earned a Purple Heart for his service in Normandy and Okinawa during World War II.
More Than a Tournament
René Sr. had four true passions in life—helping others, cooking Cuban food, entertaining, and baseball. That spirit lives on through the Cubano Golf Classic. As the event grew, so did the impact. In 2018 Cubano Charities became a nonprofit and raised over $114,000 for St. Jude from 2018 through 2022. In 2023 they added live and silent auctions and focused on supporting the Fire Foundation of Colorado Springs. Over $160,000 was raised for local lifesaving projects like The Drone Project, Whole Blood, and Heads Up CPR.
