MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- With a shotgun-start, dozens of golfers teed off during the Parris Island Officers' Spouses Club 14th Annual Golf Tournament at the Legends at Parris Island Golf Course April 21.
The tournament featured dozens of door prizes, which were donated by restaurants and businesses from the local community and Bluffton, and a chance to win a new vehicle to the first player to shoot a hole-in-one on the 10th Hole.
"The tournament is to raise funds to go toward local charities and scholarships for dependants of Marines and sailors stationed at Parris Island and the naval hospital," said tournament co-chairman Julie Gfrerer.
The event is one of the club's biggest fundraisers, and thanks to the number of golfers who entered this year, it was far from disappointing.
"We had twenty-seven teams of four," said Gfrerer. "The maximum was thirty, so we were very happy to see twenty seven. It worked out perfectly."
This year, the club was able to raise $6,500, after expeneses, which came close to matching the $7,000 they raised at last years outing . The amount of support for the event is one of the main reasons the tournament, instead of other fundraisers, returns to the Depot each year and it is a good way to let everyone become involved in the club's cause.
"We wanted to get the guys involved," said Kim Stahlman, tournament co-chairman. "This is a good way to let them enjoy themselves while helping us out. This generates a lot more money than a lot of the other things we do."
"Everyone seems to love it and it is well received around base," added Gfrerer.
The tournament was months in the making and according to Gfrerer, but even with a few stressful moments, the members all agree the result of their hard work was well worth it.
"We would just like to thank our volunteers and all of the participants for coming out and supporting the Parris Island Officers' Spouses Club," said Stahlman.
The money raised from the tournament, as well as funds from other events, will be put into scholarships that will be awarded at a luncheon in May.