The Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce held its annual Golf Scramble on Wednesday.
This event began over 37 years ago at BGSU’s Forrest Creason Golf Course and moved Stone Ridge Golf Club in 1991. The proceeds of the event support the efforts of the chamber to provide services and programs that lead to business development and success in the Bowling Green area.
Some of the top sponsors are ACE Sponsor -Wood County Hospital, Welcome Sponsor – Bowling Green State University, Breakfast Sponsor- Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Lunch Sponsor – Huntington Bank, Drone Drop Sponsor – Bates Recycling, and our Cannon and Drink Sponsor – Elite Collegiate Apparel.
New this year was a Drone Golf Ball drop performed by Toledo Aerial Media and sponsored by Bates Recycling. Numbered golf balls were dropped from a drone onto the putting green. Cash prizes awarded was $500 for ball #90 – Steve Weihl, for closest to the target; $250 for ball #58 – Kimberly Ann Cameron, second closest; $100 for ball #63 – Brent Klassen, third closest; and farthest from the target for $50 was ball #67 – Liz Jones.
A shotgun start sent 36 teams of golfers out to the course to compete for low scores, prizes and bragging rights. Hole 2 featured the return of “Jake the Cannon Man” sponsored by Elite Collegiate Apparel. Golfers shot of their golf balls through a launcher or “cannon” to see who could get their ball closest to the pin flag. This challenge was won by Dick Lambert. Hole 5 once again was the “Hole in One” Challenge for a lease of a new Chevy. This challenge was sponsored by Thayer Chevrolet and although there was no winner, it added some excitement for golfers. KeyBank sponsored a Key Brew keg that was available to golfers at the turn.
The day concluded with a chicken and ribs dinner and awarding of prizes. Joe Edens, director of Advancement, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences with the University of Buffalo, emceed the program and was the winner of the 50/50 drawing. First Place honors went to the Easy Street Cafe team who came in 21 under par. The team was Vic Pirooz, Trey Walker, Kit Hughes, Matt Karaffa and Bobby Nicholson. The Middle of the Pack designation went to the Union Bank team with golfers Paul Walker, Brad Sander, Matt Dewood and Mike McCarthy. Reverse First Place was awarded to Ag Credit 2 team with golfers Aubrey Roller, Dan Wensink, Matt Gray and Kolin Martin.
Other businesses who supported this fundraising event are Fifth Third Bank, Easy Street Café, William Vaughan Company, Marsh & Marsh Attorneys, UIS Insurance & Investments, S&S CPA, Inc., Dr Alexis Klassen & Associates, Beckett’s Burger Bar and The Barrel Room, Rosenboom Custom Crafted Cylinders, Hanneman Family Funeral Home and Crematory, Best Western, InTech IT Solutions, the Copy Shop and Main Street Photo.
Work Leads to Independence and the BG Farmers Market were Volunteer Sponsor and provided each volunteer with a commemorative T-shirt for the event. Volunteers were Jasmine Costillo (Union Bank), Bri Frobose (State Bank), Joe Williams (Sandwisch Enterprises), and from Dr. Alexis Klassen’s office; Dr. Alexis Klassen, Gina O’Hare, Brooke Roberts, Holli Gray-Luring, Teri Harkness, Natalie Webbing, Kiersten Perez and Gerri Borissa. This year’s Golf Scramble Project Team was co-chaired by Kent Kokomoor (Elite Collegiate Apparel) and Emily Hydar Jasinski (KeyBank Mortgage), Chamber President Greg Esposito (InTech IT Solutions), Chamber Vice President Ben Waddington (Waddington Jewelers) with support from Dominic Olech (Dr. Klassen & Associates), Sondra King (A.A. Green Realty), Melinda Kale (WLI) and Belinda Bates (Bates Recycling).
