Golfers Bring in Money for Books
Local businesses and golfers raised over $12,300 for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Southwest Wyoming (DPILSW) by participating in the Fifth Annual United Way of Southwest Wyoming Golf Tournament. The tournament was held Sept. 11 at Rolling Green Country Club in Green River.
“We were really pleased with the results of the tournament. United Way believes the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program will make a difference in our communities. Having the golf tournament is a fun way to raise awareness about the importance of early grade reading while also bringing in donations to support the program,” said Kelly Frink, director of marketing and communications at United Way.
As the tournament began United Way and Rolling Green Country Club asked for a moment of silence in remembrance of Sept. 11, 2001. Then one hundred and twenty players headed out to their starting holes for a shot gun start. Played as a four person scramble, the tournament was scored using the Peoria System. All players received a gift bag that included a Live United t-shirt, sponsored by Wyoming Casing Service. Breakfast, donated by McDonald’s, was available at check-in and players were served lunch as they finished, with water donated by Western Wyoming Beverages.
Taking first place and winning $400 to the pro shop and four tickets to a University of Wyoming football game were John Besso, Brian Jackson, Paul Lebario and Paul Lovato. Taking second place and winning $300 to the pro shop were Dave Corhn, Jim Moore, Brandi Moore and Ray Zampedri. Winning $200 to the pro shop and taking third place were Stephen Case, Gary Knieper, Billy Schoenewald, and Dave Smith.
Individual player contests were held at various holes during the tournament. Tim Stevenson had the Longest Putt on hole nine, winning a golf bag; Monte Thayer was Closest to the Pin on hole 15, winning a driver; Mike Magagna was Closest to the Tree on hole 14, winning a putter; and Erik Armijio had the Closest 2nd Shot on hole 11, also winning a putter. All hole contest prizes were sponsored by Par 5 Promotions.
Players were given the opportunity to purchase mulligans, string, a cheater’s package, 50-50 raffle tickets and could place a wager on the betting hole. Steve Uvuary won $420 from the 50-50 raffle and donated $100 of his winnings back to DPILSW.
DPILSW is a partnership between United Way of Southwest Wyoming and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Through this program, children, birth to age 5, are mailed a free, age appropriate book every month. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library supplies the books while United Way raises funds through special events and writing grants to cover the cost of shipping the books, which is about $35 a year, per child. United Way does not use any funds from their annual campaign to fund this program.
Currently, over 1,200 children in Southwest Wyoming are enrolled in DPILSW. United Way plans to increase that number to 5,000 children in Southwest Wyoming over the next five years.
John Bunning Transfer was the Eagle Sponsor for the tournament, donating $1,000. BP, Erwin Consulting, Halliburton and Mandros Painting were all Birdie Sponsors, donating $500 each. CommTech, Costantino Construction, Daniel’s Jewelry, Enns Consulting, Fox Funeral Home, and Teton Distributing were all Par Sponsors donating $250 each.
Companies that sponsored teams were: Anadarko Petroleum Midstream, Allstate, Bridger Coal, Buckaroos, Cameron, D.R. Griffin and Associates, Embassy Tavern, ExxonMobil LaBarge Operations, Halliburton, John Bunning Transfer, Mandros Painting, Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, Moore Technologies, Questar, Solvay Chemicals, Tata Chemicals, Vase Funeral Chapels and Williams Northwest Pipeline.
For more information contact Frink at the United Way office or call 362-5003, or marketing@swunitedway.org.
