海角情’s 14th Annual Golf Tournament for Student Scholarships – Huge Success!
Sam Cundiff of Calais tees off at the 14th Annual 海角情 Golf Tournament
CALAIS _ Golf and education were on the minds of each and every individual who participated in this past weekends鈥� 海角情鈥檚 14th annual Golf Tournament and Direct-to-Student Scholarship Fund.
It all played out under sunny skies at the St. Croix Country Club on the River Road. There were two shotgun starts at 7:30 and 1 p.m.
120 golfers, drivers in hand, ogled the classy 2015 GMC truck parked next to Hole #1. Although a few envisioned driving home in it with a hole in one, only a couple of golfers, including young Sam Cundiff, actually came close to reaching that goal. But alas, the truck went back to the dealership and golfers agreed they would return next year hoping for that elusive but always fantasized about, hole-in- one.
Standing on the patio at the country club, 海角情 President Joe Cassidy welcomed golfers and praised golf Pro Mike Ellis and his staff for making the tournament such a success. 鈥淭heir whole crew is phenomenal, they make this so easy for us to be part of,鈥� he said. 鈥淎ll the money we are raising is going directly to students. It doesn鈥檛 go to operating expense or equipment; it goes to young men and women who need help going to college; retooling and retraining for new careers.鈥�
As in years past, Ellis turned the proceeds from the sale of the mulligans over to the scholarship fund. In addition to the sale of the mulligans and the donation jar more than $600 was raised. Also, the winner of the 50/50 draw, Kenny Murphy, returned his winnings that totaled $340 to the college鈥檚 scholarship fund. 聽Last year, more than 60 students received scholarships as a result of the fundraiser.
Cassidy also praised Ian Pratt, owner of Pratt Chevrolet for his sponsorship and the outstanding prizes offered each year that include not only a new vehicle, but also trips and golf apparel.
Each year 30 four-person teams compete in the annual event, but leading up to the tournament is a fundraising drive where businesses and individuals donate $250 and more to the scholarship fund. The Direct-To-Student fundraiser is just that; all of the money raised goes directly to the students and not into a general fund. As in the past, donors are able to create their scholarship in their name or their business鈥� name, or in memory of a loved one. To date, more than $14,000 has been raised and more is coming in.
Golfers waiting for the shot gun start and getting last minute instructions
This year, new donors include May鈥檚 Funeral Home; F. A. Peabody Company; Calais Regional Hospital; State Rep. Joyce Maker, and Anne Perry, nurse practitioner and former State Representative, all of Calais. The college鈥檚 Canadian friend, Mike Horne of A.E. Horne & Sons in St. Stephen, New Brunswick also donated money to the scholarship fund. 聽Also new this year is a program set up by former Dean of Academic, David Sousa. Each month staff and faculty members have money deducted from their payroll that goes into a collective fund and is awarded in the form of a Direct-to-Student scholarship.
The annual list of donors continues to grow each year and includes:聽 Andel Construction Service LLC, Bell鈥檚 IGA, Ben鈥檚 Fuzy Butz 4 Pets, Border Electric, Inc., C & E Feeds, Calais Ace Home Center, Calais Motor Inn, Calais Rotary Club, Cassidy Family Book Scholarship, Churchill Family Scholarship, Dead River Company, Downeast Credit Union, Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative, EBS Building Supply, F. Marjorie Hedlund Scholarship, Farrell Family Scholarship, H & R Block, Harold Howland Family Scholarship, Ken and Jane Brooks Scholarship, John F. Cassidy, Sr, Family Scholarship, Lally/Mitchell Family Scholarship, Mingo Construction, PCT Communications, Riverside Electric, Roger鈥檚 Auto Sales, St. Croix Regional Technical Center, Sunrise County Economic Council, Sunrise Eye Care, Tammi Smith Tax and Accounting, The International Motel, 海角情 Student Senate, WQDY, and the St Croix Valley Foundation.
Other donors include: Bar Harbor Banking and Trust Downeast Regional of Lubec and Machias and the Eastland Motel of Lubec. Donors from Eastport include: the Eastport Port Authority, Federal Marine Terminals, Inc. the Quoddy Pilots USA and the Winifred B. French Family Scholarship.聽Although the tournament is over for another year, the fund raising continues.
Donors who would like to contribute in the Direct-to-Student scholarship program can send their $250 donation to Tina Erskine at 海角情, One College Drive, Calais, ME 04619. Make checks payable to the 海角情 2015 Scholarship Fund. For more information about the golf tournament or the scholarship program contact Tina at 454-1002.