The American Legion Golf Tournament returned this year on Tuesday, Sept. 9, offering a great excuse for folks to not just come out and have a fun day enjoying the scenery of the Butternut Creek Golf Course, but also support a great cause.
“Every dollar and every dime that we’ll make here today is going to go right back into the community to serve our veterans,” said Post 121 Cmdr. Mike Merritt, who, along with American Legion Auxiliary District 9 President Nancy Kunz, explained just how those funds go to use.
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Merritt and Kunz refer to the tournament as their biggest fundraiser of the year, and the income generated from the fun goes on to support a variety of activities. Around the holidays, meal boxes go out to veterans in need, including 75 care bags for area homeless veterans.
The program also supplements the care and visitation of senior veterans in Stonehenge Senior Living and the Nursing Home. Along with that, younger generations are included with flag etiquette and poppy education classes at Union County Middle School; the Legion purchases all its own supplies.
“This is funding every program that we do for the entire Legion family,” added Kunz.
It costs $400 per team to participate in the tournament, but other fundraising opportunities during the outing include raffle tickets for a variety of high-quality prizes such as a smart television and Blackstone griddle, mulligans and participation in the ball roll.
The 28 participating teams also enjoyed a shrimp lunch at noon courtesy of Mike’s Seafood, and some were spotted smoking cigars to make the most of their game.
Larry Salsman is not a veteran himself but is friends with a member of the Legion. He’s been golfing for years and traveled from Hiawassee to attend the tournament on behalf of the many veterans he knows and wants to support.
Former Union County Commissioner Lamar Paris attended the event, too, along with State Rep. Stan Gunter. The pair took a moment to catch up before the game started, and just a few carts down, Jason Cameron joked with his team, “They call us ZZ Top-the-Ball.”
“So, great tournament, great cause. The American Legion has done a fantastic job putting this on year after year,” Cameron said, nevertheless serious about the effort. “Personally, I drove an hour and a half to come back to this because this is such a fantastic tournament.”
With 28 teams signing up this year, the local American Legion was able to raise at least $11,200 just in registration fees; that’s a lot of help for local veterans.
For those who missed the chance to give back to veterans with the tourney, keep an eye out for further fundraising and support options such as poppy sales, the Sept. 24 first responders picnic at the Union County Farmers Market, and December’s Wreaths Across America ceremony.
