A local charity that works throughout the year to help the less fortunate is asking for some help this weekend, in the form of golfers to participate in a fundraising tournament at Polish Pines Golf Club.
The Fourth Annual Helping Hands Golf Tournament will tee off 9 a.m. Saturday. Among the prizes being offered is $20,000 for a hole-in-one on hole two.
“We really need people to play golf,” said Sharon Floyd, vice president of Helping Hands. “It won’t be a success if we don’t get enough players.”
The two-person scramble will feature a variety of competitions within the tournament play, including longest drive overall and longest drive for seniors, as well as closest to the pin on four holes.
The tournament will also feature prizes for a hole-in-one on four holes. In addition to the $20,000 cash prize for hole two, being sponsored by Nationwide Insurance agents Jack Floyd and Matt Eggar, a hole in one on hole four will win a computer, a hole in one on six will win a set of golf clubs, and on eight, a sound system.
Many of the prizes have been donated by area businesses, including the $600 first place prize being provided by Mineral Fabrication. The second-place team earns $300.
“I’ve gotten a lot of hole sponsors,” Floyd said. “When you tell them it’s for Helping Hands, people are eager to help.”
An arm of the Keyser Ministerial Association, Helping Hands has been providing assistance to less fortunate residents in the area for more than a decade. The organization coordinates annual home-repair projects where church groups from outside the area help provide maintenance and repair for residents who cannot do the work themselves. The group also provides temporary cash assistance for those struggling with rent, utilities and medical expenses.
Registration for Saturday’s tournament is $30, which does not include cart rental. Food and soda are provided after play.
To register for the tournament, call Mrs. Floyd at 304-788-3647 or Polish Pines Golf Club at 301-786-4131. Registration is also accepted the morning of the tournament, although organizers prefer registration by Friday afternoon.
The golf tournament represents Helping Hands’ biggest private fundraiser of the year. It’s also been a lot of fun for players and organizers alike, who join together to help a worthy local cause.
“I’m using a walker these days, but I’m still going to be there,” Floyd said.