Party with a Purpose: Medbrook Children's Charity Golf Classic Take 13
By Julie Perine on August 11, 2012
Dr. Kelly Nelson calls Monday’s Medbrook Children’s Charity Golf Classic a “party with a purpose.”
The purpose is to raise big dollars for a duo of special causes benefiting Harrison County students: The School Nurses Discretionary Fund and the Children’s Apparel Fund.
“Once you hear the story about what is done with those charity dollars, it grabs you and won’t let you go,” said Nelson, event organizer. “It’s not just winter coats, but it buys kids back-to-school clothes that fit and are their own. Then, there’s a second wave in the springtime, an influx of money spent for appropriate clothes to keep up the mojo they have at school.”
The other leg of the charity - the Nurses’ Discretionary Fund - financially assists with medical concerns that may be minor in nature, but treatments which can prove life-changing for the children and provide a big burden of relief for parents.
Obviously, participating golfers are believers. The cost to golf in the tournament is $500 per golfer.
And registration is full.
“We have 180 golfers, which is over capacity by a longshot,” Nelson said. “It is a very pricey tournament. We hit our clientele hard, but we deliver lots of fun and entertainment for that money.”
That’s where the “party” comes in.
“We have a DJ on the front 9 and one on the back 9,” Nelson said. “We have adult beverages and different food venues at every par 3. There’s a blackjack dealer on one hole and a roulette wheel on another.
”
There are even video golf lessons stationed along the course, which, with a little imagination, has been stretched to 21 holes. On four of them, a hole-in-one wins a car.
There are even video golf lessons stationed along the course, which, with a little imagination, has been stretched to 21 holes. On four of them, a hole-in-one wins a car.
The 13th annual event is even bigger and better than last year’s. And that has come to be tradition, Nelson said.
There will be some nice prizes awarded to the four top-scoring teams, as well as longest drive on every par 5 and closest-to-pin on every par 3.
“We play golf and some people care and win,” Nelson said. “Most prizes are given back to the charity anyway.”
Following golf, participants and guests will enter the club house for a celebratory dinner, during which time more funds will be raised for the cause.
“We celebrate winners and have an auction, selling about $30,000 worth of what we call ‘art memorabilia,’” Nelson said. “We have stuff like Steeler and Redskin tickets and exotic trips.”
Hole sponsorship for the unique tournament is $3,000 per hole.
For their generosity, sponsors are being treated this year.
“Sunday is corporate appreciation day. We’ll take some of our bigger donors and long-term sponsors and volunteers out for a day of golf,” Nelson said.
The tournament started in the year 2000, the same year that Medbrook Children’s Charity was born.
“Everyone had been so supportive of us personally and professionally,” said Nelson, referring to himself and his wife, Debbie. “It was absolutely time to give back.”
The couple considered a benefactor for a charity and decided there was much need in their own backyard – the children of Harrison County.
And so the first Medbrook Children’s Charity Golf Tournament was born.
“We started out with a nice sedate little golf outing, but decided to take a different spin on it,” Nelson said.
Golfers, sponsors and volunteers - those who step in for the first time and those who come back year after year - make it a success.
“It’s just reflective of this community,” Nelson said.
But there is another group very responsible for the success of it all.
“That’s the school nurses,” he said. “Those ladies are angels among us. They know who the working poor are and those who fall through the cracks. They are incredible.”
Leave a Comment
Log in or create an account to post a comment.