Players supporting CHARACTER COUNTS! in Martin County had a day full of enjoyment, contests and prizes at the annual Tee It Up for Character Charity Golf Tournament April 24 at Monarch Country Club.

The tournament is the one-and-only fund-raiser for the CHARACTER COUNTS! program, which provides character-building activities in schools, civic organizations and businesses. This year, the event netted about $23,000 thanks to sponsors, auction bidders and a record 144 players.

"CHARACTER COUNTS! encourages sportsmanship and increases public awareness of the importance of core ethical values," said Holly Laiben, the program’s director. "This golf fund-raiser will help to ensure these activities continue."

The sixth annual event featured an exciting new addition this year: The $10,000 Shoot-Out Putting Contest, sponsored by John Pierson’s Toyota of Stuart. For a $20 fee, entrants competed for the chance to sink a 50-foot putt worth $10,000. Finalist Todd Newman came close, but his putt fell about 9 inches short of the hole.

Other golfing results included the following:

• Low gross winners – (58) Jim Parrish, William Staub, Steve Simon, Travis Leonard. 

• Low net winners (55) -- Guy Dockerill, Susan Dockerill, Jay Knipe, Perry Ware.

• Low net second place (55) -- Wayne Hundt, Dan Covey, Bill Holder, Kevin Fandrey.

• Low net third place (55) -- Jimmy Walker, Mike Muller, Eric Bauer, Bill Smith.

• Low net fourth place (56) -- Al Thurston, Ed Connell, Frank Guillot, Nick Vassalotti.

• Low net fifth place (56) -- Jim Vanover, Haig Soghigian, Bill Jaros, Jim Griffin.

• Closest to the Line – Tom Colucci and Linda Williams.

The buffet dinner following the tournament featured a live auction, with prizes including foursomes at top-flight local golf courses: Jupiter Hills Club (one of Golf Magazine’s Top 100 golf courses in America), Old Marsh Golf Club and Loblolly (both ranked among the top 25 golf courses in Florida by Golf Digest), Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club, Jupiter Island Club, Jupiter Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, McArthur Golf Club, The Tesoro Club and Willoughby Golf Club.

An array of fund-raising prizes were awarded, including foursomes at Frenchman’s Reserve Country Club and Frenchman’s Creek Country Club; gift certificates for Peter’s Steakhouse, Baer’s Furniture, and Just Gold Jewelers; and tickets to the Library Foundation of Martin County’s 2009 Bookmania Meet the Authors Cocktail Party.

On the course, each par-3 hole had a hole-in-one prize, including a 2008 Toyota Camry and other gifts courtesy of John Pierson’s Toyota of Stuart and a resort getaway courtesy of Monarch.

The corporate sponsor of the event was Publix Super Markets Charities Inc. Other major sponsors were John Pierson’s Toyota of Stuart, Monarch Country Club, The Enjoyment Book, Hometown News, Palm Beach Post, Phyllis Kordick, Paul Hartman LLC, Arlington Electric, Ampersand Graphics, Florida Coca Cola Bottling Co., Key Lime Café and Bank of America.

CHARACTER COUNTS! is a program of United Way of Martin County. For further information, contact CHARACTER COUNTS! director Holly Laiben at (772) 283-4800, ext. 234.