CHARACTER COUNTS! :: United Way of Martin County

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 (practicing, above) came close, but his putt fell about 9 inches short of the hole.

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.

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.

From left: Monarch Country Club pro David Sanchez, Publix manager Allen Brown and golf committee members Barbara Sunblad and Gene Gillis.

The fifth annual “Tee It Up for Character” golf tournament drew 116 good sports in support of CHARACTER COUNTS! in Martin County.

Monarch Country Club hosted the tourney on April 26, 2007. It is the one-and-only fund-raiser for CHARACTER COUNTS! program, which provides character-building activities in schools, civic organizations and businesses. The event raised $23,000 for the program.

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

The four-person scramble was followed by a buffet, awards ceremony and live auction.

For the second year, CHARACTER COUNTS! lined up Stuart News columnist Ray McNulty to encourage players – for a $10 donation -- to “Beat the Scribe” on the par-3 fifth hole. The winner was Frank DeGregory, who won a Cobra IM01 putter, courtesy of Monarch Country Club Pro Shop

The hole-in-one prizes were left unclaimed, including a 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid courtesy of Toyota of Stuart and golf resort getaways courtesy of Monarch Country Club.

The corporate presenting sponsor of the event was Publix Super Markets Charities. Other major tournament sponsors were Toyota Of Stuart, The Enjoyment Book, Monarch Country Club, The Hometown News, The Palm Beach Post, The Stuart News, Phyllis Kordick, Lively Orthodontics, Peggy McCluskey, Taylor Woodrow, Ampersand Graphics, Shirley Bradley, Bobbie Trimble, Florida Coca Cola Bottling Co., and Larry Thackray, Pure Graphics – Geiger Florida.

The golf tournament committee was made up of volunteers Gene Gillis, Barry Grant, Phyllis Kordick and Barbara Sundblad.

For more information regarding CHARACTER COUNTS!, a program of United Way of Martin County, please visit www.charactercounts.net or call (772) 283-4800, ext. 234.

4TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

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Eighty-eight good sports played in the “Tee It Up for Character” golf tournament -- the one-and-only fund-raiser for the CHARACTER COUNTS! program in Martin County.

The fourth annual tournament was held April 27, 2006, at Monarch Country Club. The four-person scramble was followed by a buffet, awards ceremony and auction.

The top foursomes were as follows:

1st Gross – Tom Wilkinson, Rudy Johnson, George Pacheco, George Wafer.
1st Net – Stan March, Jim Bird, Jamie Semmler, Gary Whigam.
2nd Net – Jim Dante, Mike Maurer, Lou Barattieri, Mark Maurer.

"It was a perfect day all around," said CHARACTER COUNTS! director Terri May. "The golfers had a great time playing the course and supporting the CC! program through raffles, auction items and various games. The generosity of our sponsors and Ray McNulty made the event our most successful tournament so far!"

Stuart News columnist Ray McNulty, fresh from covering the Winter Olympics and the Masters golf tournament, was another good sport. For a $10 donation, players could try to "Beat the Scribe" on one of the par 3 holes.

CHARACTER COUNTS! thanks Ray, all the golfers, volunteers, tee-sign and raffle sponsors, and these major supporters:

Presenting Sponsor: Publix Super Markets Charities

Tournament Sponsors: Lively Orthodontics, Phyllis Kordick, Martin Memorial Health Systems, First National Bank & Trust Co., Ampersand Graphics, The Enjoyment Book.

Media Sponsors: Hometown News, Palm Beach Post, The Stuart News.

Golf packages that were donated and auctioned included rounds at Jupiter Island Club, The Medalist, Loblolly, Harbour Ridge, Mariner Sands and Willoughby Club. Each participant also received a free future round of golf at Monarch and a 2006 Enjoyment Dining Out book.

"For 10 years CHARACTER COUNTS! has provided character-building activities in schools, civic organizations and businesses, encouraging sportsmanship and increasing public awareness of the importance of core ethical values," Ms. May said. "This golf fund-raiser will help to ensure these activities continue."

Sixty-six golfers supported CHARACTER COUNTS! by playing in the third annual tournament at Monarch Country Club on April 16, 2005.

The second annual “Tee It Up for Character” tournament drew 112 generous golfers to Monarch Country Club on April 22, 2004, making for a fun and successful fund-raiser for CHARACTER COUNTS!, a program of the United Way of Martin County.

Thanks to all the participants and sponsors, the event raised $18,000 in support of the program.

Following a buffet dinner, golfers competed again at the auction table – vying for tempting golf packages at The Medalist and Loblolly, weekend getaways at Pirates Cove Resort and Holiday Inn Oceanside, as well as fishing trips, massages, days of beauty, and even a weekend getaway for the family pet!

“Sponsor involvement was the key ingredient,” said Duane Raab, chairman of CHARACTER COUNTS! “The generosity of Monarch, Carl’s Suburban, Kohl & Richard, Ampersand, The Kordick Family, Bobbie Trimble, First National Bank, Hometown News, Publix Super Markets Charities, Clark Weimer, Lively Orthodontics, The Stuart News, and local businesses and supporters who donated auction items and bought tee signs, allowed us to offer the players a first-class golfing experience."

The inaugural golf tournament to benefit CHARACTER COUNTS! was deemed a success by chairman Duane Raab. Twenty-three foursomes enjoyed a day of lunch, golf and barbecue on April 25, 2003. More than $8,000 of the funds raised went directly to CC! initiatives.

The team of Dr. Fred Draheim, Les Smith, Sean Hopkins and Mike Maliszewski came in first low gross (pictured above). The team of Bruce Snyder, Steve Snyder, Ernie Fricione and Rebecca Donaho came in first low net. The event was held at Palm Cove Golf & Yacht Club.