ON THE TOWN

Fun is par for the course at local charity outings

7/6/2014
BY BARBARA HENDEL
BLADE SOCIETY EDITOR

Golf outings are great way to chum around with business associates and friends while raising funds for charities. Most all are a shot gun start format to keep the pace going for the players ranging from duffers to scratch golfers. The casual outings usually include lunch or dinner with prizes and some have raffles and auctions. Of course, skins, mulligans, and betting holes add to the fun to the pot for charity.

IAN'S Memorial Tournament was June 29 at Sugar Creek Golf Course in Elmore. Ian Huffman, who died in 2010 in an automobile accident, was the son of John and Maureen Huffman. The third annual event included a light breakfast, golf and a steak dinner for the about 60 golfers.

The top winner was the Weis Team of Elmore including Kent Weis of Elmore, Gary Kohli of Oak Harbor, and Kendall Tudor and her sister Becca Tudor, both of Perrysburg who are the granddaughters of longtime Weis Law Office secretary Joyce Contak of Elmore.

About $4,000 was netted for a scholarship for an intern attending the The Ohio State University's John Glenn School of Public Affairs Washington Internship Program in Washington, DC., where Ian did a “fellowship” with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), that inspired him to plan to focus in international law at Case Western Law School.

PHOTO GALLERY: Click here for photos from these events

The first year funded a scholarship for an Ohio State University-bound student with an interest in the study abroad program and the second year was for a college bound Woodmore High School senior with an interest in international diplomacy.

THE 5th Annual Alexa Brown Memorial Golf Outing was June 27 at Sleepy Hollow Golf Course in Clyde. Alexa Brown was a victim of the Clyde Cancer Cluster, passing away of childhood cancer in August 2009. The event attended by 68 golfers, raised about $4,500 for the Alexa Brown Memorial Scholarship.

The proceeds support a scholarship to begin with Alexa’s 2016 graduating class.

THE 11th Annual Savage Foundation Golf Classic June 23 at Stone Oak Country Club was a wash out due to the rain, however, it still netted $80,000. Alas, there were no "awards" for winning teams since no one finished more than six holes. And no one won a Jeep Cherokee for a hole-in-one. However, the majority of the 132 golfers stayed for food and cocktails, bought tickets for the Jensen Jeweler’s Raffle, and shopped the silent auction.

Over the first 10 years, the Golf Classic has raised over $750,000 for local charities, said Kelly Savage, tournament director assisted by a great committee Kudos to the generous sponsors and participants who paid $1,800 per team.

Half of the proceeds were divided equally between Hannah’s Socks and The Danberry Treasure Chest and the other half went into the Savage & Associates Foundation to be given to local charities throughout the year.

THE 7th annual Golf for Heartbeat June 21 at Bedford Hills Golf Club netted $16,500 for Heartbeat of Toledo. The day included golf followed by a lunch with raffle prizes and golf prizes. There was a $10,000 hole-in-one prize, but no one sunk that putt.

Event chairmen Marianne Knitz of Hillsdale, MI and Jan Zimmerman of Maumee were assisted by 20 volunteers including Toledo residents Rita Arite, Diane Neptune, Mark Tooman, and Bill Ulmer; Maumee resident Ann Frahn; Sylvania residents Geri Kull and Liz LaValley and Lambertville, MI resident Ron Cain.

Sponsors included LaValley, LaValley, Todak and Schaefer Co., L.P.A. and Sofo Foods.

HIT the Links for Lourdes University sponsored by MT Business Technologies/RICOH June 6 at Bedford Hills Golf Club in Temperance raised more than $33,500 for student scholarships. The 176 golfers had a continental breakfast, played 18 holes over 3 courses, and lunched in the pavilion.

The top men’s team, finishing 17 under par, was Tim Horton’s which included Bryan Miller, K.C. Neweham, Brian Schmits, and Carl Weaver. The top women’s team, finishing 4 under par, included Jo-Ellen Apgar, Ann Marie Blank, Gayle Lampkowski, and Ann Meier. The top mixed team, finishing 13 under par, was Health Management Solutions which included Laurie Posten, John Raitz, Scott Simon, and Dan Trombley.

THE Epilepsy Center of Northwest Ohio 25th Anniversary Practically a Golf Tournament (PGT) presented by Automatic Handling International was May 30 at Levis Commons in Perrysburg, at The Clock Tower. Foursomes of area businesses, organizations or friends competed for prizes and awards as they played the unique miniature golf course of 18 holes custom built throughout the years by area companies and the students of Penta Career Center. Unlike the quietness of regular golf courses, this was a lively and a bit louder day as DJ Richie filled the air with music. The event also included Felix the Cigar Roller of Casa de Monte Cristo, food and beverages, goodie bags, and a corn hole game.

Rudolph-Libbe Properties won the Putt-Putt Tournament. The students of Penta Career Center won the best designed golf hole.

$30,000 was netted for the Epilepsy Center according to Sheri Bokros, event chairman.

THE RANDY Kordash Golf Classic May 30 at Stone Oak Country Club had a morning and an afternoon flight for its 188 golfers. The morning flight winners were the Fifth Third team, Bill Behe, David Gerken, Randy Jones and Brad Cox and the afternoon flight winners were the Vascular Professionals team Dr. Greg Kasper, Steve Mitchell, Spencer Stone and Richard Hylant.

The event netted over $64,000 to benefit Mercy Hospitals.

In attendance from Mercy were Brian Smith, Executive Vice President of the Northern Network for Catholic Health Partners, and other Mercy executives from Toledo area Mercy hospitals including Kerry Tirman, Brad Bertke Jacalyn Liebowitz, Tom Arquilla, and Jeff Dempsey.

Area businesses joined in the fun, too, including Don and Judy Turner of Turner Electric Company and Turner Electrical Services LLC; Laura Saunders-Kowalec of Huntington Bank; Steve Morris of JDRM Engineering; Frank Dobnikar of S&D Capital; Pete Vavrinek and Jeff Eff of Campbell Inc.; Dr. Mitchell Greenbaum, Dr. Stephen Sutton, and from Robison, Curphey and O’Connell, Julia Smith-Wiley, Tim Krugh, Mark Ozimek and Brad Blandin.

SPRINGFIELD Rotary’s “Golf Ball Drop” May 16 at Valleywood Golf Club didn't have any golf, but it sure was fun. A crowd of more than 200 purchased nearly 600 golf balls then stood on the balcony in anticipation as a few Rotarian's released the balls from high up on a crane. Cathy Hugelet owned the ball that fell closest to the "pin" which won her the grand prize of $2,000.

The evening included cocktails and dinner, but if guests wanted dessert, they had to buy it at auction conducted by Rotarian Jack Amlin and his son Greg Zielinski. A hit were Lori Moffitt's luscious Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes.

The live and silent auctions had something for everyone, from sports and entertainment packages to a chocolate fountain, and a lottery ticket basket.

Nearly $18,000 was raised for the Springfield Rotary Foundation.

Seen were Brad and Tara Dumas, Springfield Rotary President; Pat Baker, Immediate Past Rotary President; Scott and Sherri Koback, Springfield Board of Education President; and Michael O’Shea, Rotarian and Springfield Schools Superintendent. Also seen were Tim and Jenny Yoder, Terry and Erika Yoder, Mark and Shirley Frey, and Tyson and Leah Moore.

DIABETES Youth Services Best Shot for Kids Golf Benefit was May 12 at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania with lunch donated by Ralphie’s Sports

Eatery. Over $10,000 was netted to benefit children with type 1 diabetes at Hot Shot Camps and other educational programs.

Sponsors included Healthcare REIT, ProMedica Pharmacy Counter, Precision Tool Repair, Endocrine & Diabetes Care Center, Carl Wheeler DDS, Shumaker Loop & Kendrick LLP, Walmart, and MT Business Technologies.