Quail Valley Golf Course

The 6th Annual Christian Knapp Memorial Golf Tournament is a scholarship fundraiser for the Deaf-Blind Multi-handicap Association of Texas (DBMAT). Founded in 1973, DBMAT is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization comprised of persons who are deafblind, their parents and extended family, as well as professionals who work with persons with sensory impairments. The golf tournament raises money to pay full college tuition scholarships to interested in working with deafblind persons as trained and certified Interveners. Melanie and Gary Knapp host the tournament as a memorial for their deafblind son, Christian Knapp, who started working with a professional Intervener, Ann Bielert, at the age of 21. Ann helped him build bridges to access to the world around him teaching him the concepts and expressions of words in American Sign Language (ASL). One of the more poignant memories of Christian that Ann expressed was when he unprompted first expressed "Mom" while Melanie, unbeknownst to Christian, happen to be present. Through gaining the ability to expressively communicate Christian flourished. He was able to establish meaningful friendships and express his thoughts, personality, sense of humor, and his fondness for chocolate. Christian died suddenly in November 2005 at the age of 25. The strides that Christian Knapp made with Ann has inspired the Knapps to work to help get trained Intervener services for all deafblind persons early in life.