New Date!
The Mary Cooper Swing Social is now Friday, December 12, 2025—same fun, same mission, even bigger impact. All current tickets and sponsorships roll over automatically. Join us to honor “Mother Mary” and support children, birth parents, and adoptive families through Miriam’s Promise.

About the Mary Cooper Golf Swing Challenge

A Legacy of Love and Lasting Impact

Twenty-six years ago, the Mary Cooper Memorial Golf Challenge was created to bring together friends, raise critical funds, and spread awareness for the life-changing work of Miriam’s Promise. Named in honor of Mary Cooper—a lifelong champion for children and families—this event continues to fuel the mission she helped to create.

Known affectionately as “Mother Mary,” she was instrumental in founding what became Miriam’s Promise in 1984 on the floor of the legacy Tennessee Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. As a legal secretary turned leading adoption expert in Middle Tennessee, Mary personally helped coordinate hundreds of adoptions, ensuring that children found safe, loving, and permanent homes. Her dedication has left an indelible mark on the adoption community, one that will be felt for generations to come.

Mary’s passion didn’t stop at advocacy, she was also a powerhouse fundraiser. Through the golf challenge that now bears her name, she helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Miriam’s Promise. As chair of the event committee for many years, she was a joyful and welcoming presence at the putting contest, making sure every golfer understood the heart of our mission and left knowing they had made a difference.

This year, the Mary Cooper Golf Swing Challenge looks al little different but continues her legacy, bringing the community together to ensure that no one walks the journey of adoption alone. Each year, we honor her spirit through the “Spirit of the Cooper” award, presented to an individual or group who exemplifies Mary’s unwavering commitment. Past recipients include Calvary United Methodist Church, Mary Wilson, and Joe Dunn—leaders who, like Mary, give their time, talents, and hearts to strengthen families.

About Miriam's Promise

For 40 years, Miriam’s Promise has walked alongside expectant parents, adoptive families, and children, offering compassion, guidance, and hope. What began as a small team committed to helping women in unplanned pregnancies has grown into a trusted adoption agency serving families across Middle Tennessee.

Today, we provide counseling, housing assistance, and essential resources for expectant parents; education and home studies for adoptive families; and lifelong support for everyone touched by adoption. Our goal is simple: no one should walk this journey alone.

To learn more about Miriam's Promise, click here.

The Mary Cooper Golf Swing Social

Building Forever Families, One Swing at a Time