More Than $25,000 Raised At Lake Wales Care Center 28th Annual Golf Tournament
by James Coulter
Mike Morrow, Director of Enterprise Programming at the Lake Wales Care Center, has been working at the center for 10 years. Since then, he has coordinated the golf tournament for several years, and coordinated the volunteers at the tournament.
While he, like any businessman, loves being able to spend a day at the links playing a round of golf, he especially loves being able to meet with the people at the event. Many of them he only gets to see once a year at the event, he said.
This year drew in more than 140 attendees, a significant number considering looming fears of the current COVID-19 crisis. Even then, people more than willingly arrived at the Lake Wales Country Club for the annual tournament.
“With everything that is going on with the pandemic and all the problems that we have, we had a very great turnout,” Morrow said. “It is great to see the community turn out and support the care center with such a fun event. I enjoy getting to see the people year after year. A lot of them keep coming back, it is fun to see them come back because it’s usually the only time I get to see them.”
The 28th Annual Lake Wales Care Center Invitational Golf Tournament was hosted to raise proceeds for the Lake Wales Care Center, a local non-profit organization that helps meet the needs of the local needy, from providing housing assistance to discount appliances and furniture from the center’s thrift store.
More than 140 attendees took to the links for a day of golf. Afterwards, they returned to the Clubhouse in the banquet hall to enjoy refreshments and learn about the winners in the many categories, from the lowest to the highest score.
More than $25,000 in proceeds were raised during the fundraiser. These proceeds will go towards the many programs and services provided through the Lake Wales Care Center, from hot meals and homebound care and repair for shut-ins to ESOL and training classes for migrants.
“[Our center has] impacted this community because of support of folks like you,” said Robert Quam, Care Center Director. “And it is a lot more than just coming out and playing golf, many of you know that, it is through families and churches that we are able to continue to do the things that we do.
This year’s event was hosted due in part to the sponsorship provided by local businesses such as Chemical Containers, Inc.Because of their support, both financially and through partnerships and relationships, they help the Center meet local needs in their community.
“On behalf of all of those who we serve on a day to day basis, we thank you for being a part of this,” he said. “It is more than just 25,000 dollars, it is more than a round of golf, it is neighbor helping neighbor.”
