In 2001, Garth Brooks retired from touring, but someone may have forgotten to remind him of that. This past July, he took the stage at The Mirage and ripped through some of his greatest hits like “Rodeo,” “Calling Baton Rouge,” and “Friends in Low Places” before ending with his poignant, signature song, “The Dance.”

Though he has remained true to his vow that he would not tour until after the youngest of his three daughters finishes high school in 2015, each January and July Brooks plays an appreciation weekend for the participants in his Teammates For Kids foundation.

Co-founded in 1999 with Bo Mitchell, (long time friend) the charity encourages athletes in the National Hockey League, National Football League and Major League Baseball to pledge money for every milestone of their choosing, whether it be a goal, strike, home run, blocked pass, or touchdown. Teammates takes that money and triples it through private donations. For Philadelphia Flyer Sean Burke, “when you know your pledge is going to be not only matched, but matched three to one, it’s an easy decision.”

Teammates has awarded grants to more than 300 children’s charities; Brooks confides, “other than the birth of my children, this is the biggest thing I’ve ever been involved with.” Given that Brooks has sold more than 100 million albums, making him the top-selling solo artist in the U.S., that’s saying something.

QUESTION: You and Bo founded a charity that has now generated more than $40 million to help children. Do you think you can exceed that heroic goal with this event?

ANSWER: We’ll hit $50 million this event….The true heroes and warriors of our time are these children in these wheelchairs and their parents who are ten times stronger than I could ever be. I would break in half and fold like a cheap wallet if something like what these kids are going through struck one of my children.

QUESTION: Some athletes have gotten very creative in their pledges, haven’t they?

ANSWER: The New York Islanders vowed to get the whole team. The last guy didn’t want to pledge goals or shots on goals or saves or anything so he gives us money anytime he’s in a fight. If you turn on ESPN and you see two guys hacking it out, you know, it might not be all that bad.

QUESTION: Who pays your administrative costs?

ANSWER: It runs us somewhere about $1 million a year to keep this thing afloat. But the main thing we want our athletes to know is never, ever does a penny come out of their pocket for this foundation’s overhead.

QUESTION: What do you remember about the first time you played Vegas?

ANSWER: We played the Desert Inn with Carlene Carter. It was January 1991. We were on the bus when [band member] Dave Gant says, “Guys, we’re bombing Iraq.” It was a pretty solemn week, but the crowds were great.