By KRISTI TAUSINGA
The Progress
It was a cold and rainy day on Thursday, Dec. 9 when the 17th annual Golf Fore Kids Tournament blew into town. But the weather didn’t keep the generous golfers away and the day ended up being a huge success.
Hundreds of toy donations were collected as entry fees into the tournament. The 4-person scramble tournament brings Christmas toys to underprivileged children in the Virgin Valley, Moapa Valley, and Scenic/Beaver Dam/Littlefield area.
Entry fees for the tournament are set at a minimum of one $50.00 toy donation per participant. But many toys donated are worth much more. Any other funds collected in the tournament are donated to families in need.
Toys are distributed into the communities through the Salvation Army, the Mesquite Fire Department, Mesquite Police Department and area schools.
The annual Golf Fore Kids Tournament is a highly anticipated event. Every year golfers assemble at local courses to participate in the holiday fundraiser. Trailers are filled to the brim, Santa’s helpers work overtime, and because of the local generosity, hundreds of kids will smile a little brighter this Christmas season.
This year’s event saw golfers on four local courses including Falcon Ridge, The Palms, Conestoga and The Palmer. It was reported that the registration for three of the four courses was filled within the first 17 minutes of opening back on October 1 at 6:00 am. All four courses were full within five days!
This year 568 golfers registered for the event, coming from all over the region. Though the day was dark and overcast, the atmosphere on the courses and in the Casablanca Event Tent where the golfers gathered afterwards, was light and the holiday spirit was in the air.
Tables of golfers chatted and had a great time visiting while they enjoyed a delicious lunch. Toys were stacked on both sides of the event center stage and there were new bicycles lined up on each side.
There was also a huge raffle featuring amazing prizes donated by many local businesses, organizations and individuals. All the proceeds of the raffle went to help local kids at Christmas time.
Golf Fore Kids Committee member Karen Fielding expressed gratitude for all of the golfers and the community support.
She talked about how the event came began 17 years ago starting with just one course and 140 golfers. From there the event has grown exponentially every since, she said.
Fielding said that her involvement with the Golf Fore Kids tournament has been deeply meeaningful to her. “It is one of the most humbling experiences I have ever had,” Fielding said. “I feel so blessed that I have been a part of this event for the last 12 years.”
