Charles Bonesteel, Golf Committee
The third annual fun-filled Support Our Troops – AZ (SOT) fundraising golf tournament will be held this coming Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11, 2014, at the Robson Ranch golf course. Ninety-eight percent of the net proceeds from the golf tournament and all other fundraising events support our club’s activities. The tournament will be a shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. with teams of four. The entry fee is $65 per participant, which covers 18 holes of golf, a golf cart if needed, range balls, coffee, pastries and goody gift bags. We anticipate having four hole-in-ones with significant prizes including a new automobile, a golf cart and other prizes. The tournament is open to the first 144 golfers who complete an application, which is provided to the tournament registrar, Jerry Koppy. Applications are available from the golf shop and golf committee members. They will also be attached to an email blast and available at other golf courses throughout the greater Casa Grande/Eloy area. Post tournament there will be a closing ceremony that includes your lunch (covered with a portion of your entry fee) with awards and prizes for the various winners presented. Additional details regarding the tournament and associated activities will be provided in future articles and email blasts.
In addition to the tournament we are planning to have an auction, raffle basket prizes and a special raffle prize. Auction items include a landscaping project estimated to be worth $50,000 and another landscaping project worth $15,000. The raffle basket drawings will be similar to prior years, with the exception that all raffle tickets will be eligible for the “golden ticket” drawing whose prize is a landscape project valued at $3,000. These projects are being donated by Earth, Water and Fire, LLC. Remember, when you purchase raffle tickets early during the month of September, you will receive bonus tickets. Additional details regarding these activities will be made available through future email blasts and Robson Ranch Views articles.
All Robson Ranch residents are encouraged to assist the SOT in this fundraising effort. In addition to putting a team together to play in the tournament, you may do so by the following:
1. Become a sponsor at the platinum, gold, silver or bronze level.
2. Provide a silent auction or raffle basket item.
3. Volunteer to assist with the tournament activities.
4. Come out to the activities, have some fun and bid on some really great silent auction and raffle items (details to follow).
Please contact Steve Anderson via email at [email protected] or via phone at 770-331-6198 to assist with items 1 or 2 above and Dave Kantrud [email protected] or via phone at 520-876-4221 with respect to item 3. Should you have any questions regarding the tournament, please contact co-chairs Jerry Koppy via email to [email protected] or phone at 520-423-2359 or Dave Kantrud.
Support Our Troops – AZ is a Robson Ranch 501(c)(3) public charity service club. The club has over 200 members and provided over $40,000 in support to overseas troops, charities assisting wounded vets, local vets in need and regional support organizations. Support Our Troops grant activities include the following:
Disbursed over $27,000 to assist local veterans, regional veteran support organizations, overseas troops and national charities supporting wounded heroes and veterans.
Provided over $2,000 to 20 local veterans and their families in need.
Expended nearly $10,000 to improve the morale of overseas troops.
Granted several thousand dollars to the local VFW Post, American Legion, the DAV chapter, the two Casa Grande VA clinics, the Pinal County Memorial Fund and the Pinal County StandDown.
Contributed several hundred dollars to provide local vets in need with food and gas cards.
Funded approximately $3,000 to provide fully stocked “Mommy Bags,” canteen bags, canteen vouchers at the Phoenix VA Hospital and grants to the Tucson VA Hospital’s homeless vets program.
Provided several thousand dollars in grants to the Soldiers Best Friend helper dog program, the Phoenix based Packages from Home project, Intrepid Fallen Heroes, the Semper Fi Fund, the Tucson Fisher House building fund and the Homes for Our Troops program (special needs homes) in Arizona.
Donated nearly $1,000 plus countless hours to assist in establishing the Eloy Veterans Center in downtown Eloy.