By VERNON ROBISON
The Progress
Next month, Mesquite will be host to a charity golf tournament like no other. Eagle’s Landing Travel Plaza in Mesquite will be sponsoring its first ever “Best of the Best” First Responders golf tournament on May 22 at the Conestoga Golf Club in Mesquite. Proceeds of the tournament will go to benefit the local Mesquite Police, Fire and Rescue.
Mark Yardley, Founder and CEO of the Eagle’s Landing corporation said that the company had decided earlier this year that local first responders, in all of the areas that the company serves. were due for some recognition.
“The past year has been a tough one for first responders all across the country,” Yardley said in an interview last week. “We wanted to show our appreciation for all that they do for our communities.”
Yardley said that the Eagle’s Landing corporate management had allocated funds to each of its 11 travel plaza locations across the western United States. These funds were to get the management at each location starated on planning and holding a fundraiser in each community for the local first responders.
What has resulted is an array of different fundraising events across the region, including golf tournaments, prize raffles, fishing tournaments and much more.
Putting together these types of fundraisers for a good cause is not new to Eagles Landing. The company has been holding fundraisers for veterans for several years now. Yardley plans to make the “Best of the Best” fundraisers an annual occurence as well across the company.
“Our veterans fundraiser has become very successful, raising more than $50,000 a year to support the veterans in our communities,” Yardley said. “Now we plan to build up the first responders fundraisers in the next few years to at least match that. Hopefully we will even surpass it.”
The Mesquite fundraiser on Saturday, May 22 promises to be a popular event. It will be held at the world-class Conestoga Golf Club located at 1699 Falcon Ridge Parkway in Mesquite.
Participating teams will have a chance to win significant cash prizes. The grand prize for the top team in the tournament will be no less than $10,000! Other high ranked teams will also receive cash prizes.
In addition, several contests will be held throughout the course that can yield additional prize money. For example, Hole #16 at the course will be the location of a long drive contest. Hole #2 will host the Closest to the Pin competition.
The entry fee for a five-person team in the contest is $2,500. Forty percent of all entry fees will go directly to the Mesquite First Responders Charity, a non-profit foundation administered through the City of Mesquite.
Registration for the tournament is open now. In addition, the company is looking for hole sponsors as well as sponsors for the various contests.
“We would also welcome community volunteers to give some time to this cause and help out with the event as score-keepers at each hole and other things,” Yardley said.
For more information call Mesquite store manager Kenny Huff at 775-385-5925, or by email at kenny@eagleslandingmgmt.com.
