Strong Performance at SEVCA's "Chipping Away at Poverty" Benefit Golf Tournament
$11,000 RAISED FOR AREA RESIDENTS IN NEED
Players at Southeastern Vermont Community Action’s (SEVCA’s) 17th Annual “Chipping Away at Poverty” Benefit Golf Tournament on Friday, June 8 were greeted with comfortable temperatures and plenty of sunshine--perfect weather for golf. The Tournament Sponsor—Springfield Housing Authority: (Mountain View and Westview Terrace Apartments) and two Co-Sponsors--Mutual of America and Sunset Tool, Inc.—along with 15 other major sponsors, 15 other donors, and 17 teams of golfers--raised nearly $11,000 to support SEVCA’s essential anti-poverty programs serving low-income individuals and families in Windham and Windsor counties. SEVCA dedicated the tournament to the memory of Harald Schmidtke, its Weatherization Director, who passed away on April 2. Harald demonstrated an unwavering commitment to SEVCA’s mission during his 25 years with the agency, and he played in the golf tournament every year to help raise money to further that mission.
Longstanding supporters and new friends from local, regional, and national businesses, SEVCA’s Weatherization and Crisis Fuel program vendors, local service providers, staff members, and the community sponsored and/or engaged in friendly competition to raise funds for the agency’s services. A Hole-In-One Contest sponsored by Fenton Family Dealerships/Subaru of Keene gave participants the chance to win a new Subaru Impreza and other valuable prizes, while Leone, McDonnell & Roberts sponsored the Putting Contest with its $5,000 grand prize. No players won the grand prizes this year, but Becky Day came closest to the pin in the Putting Contest final to win a $100 prize. The popular Air Cannon Contest made a return visit, sponsored by Lamb and McNaughton, Attorneys-at-Law, giving participants the chance to shoot their golf balls out of the air cannon from the tee at Hole #6 in hopes of getting closest to the pin. Jake Obar of Kinney Pike Insurance landed his ball 4 feet from the pin and won his choice of a 7-night stay at one of over 3,000 vacation resorts or a season of golf at over 65 courses in New England.
Tournament winners were:
1st Place Team – Mutual of America (pictured above)
2nd Place – People’s United Bank
3rd Place – Kinney Pike Insurance
Women’s Closest to the Pin – Tina Guerin
Men’s Closest to the Pin – Josh Davis
Women’s Longest Drive – P’Tricia Wyse
Men’s Longest Drive – Scott Walters
In addition to the sponsors listed above, SEVCA wishes to thank the following businesses, organizations and individuals for their sponsorships and other support:
‘Double Eagle’ Level Sponsors: Kinney-Pike Insurance
Golfer Bag and Gift Sponsor: Mutual of America
Golf Ball Sponsor: Streeter, LLC, Licensed Electrician and Building Contractor
Breakfast and Luncheon Sponsor: IPG Employee Benefits Specialists
Hole Sponsors– Clark’s Quality Foods, Clay Point Associates, Kinney Pike Insurance, Mountain View Apartments, Northeast Delta Dental, Sandri Energy, Savings Bank of Walpole, Simon Operation Services, Sunset Tool, Inc., Westview Terrace Apartments, the Windham Foundation, and WW Building Supply.
Team Sponsors: Brattleboro Country Club, Dillon Chevrolet, Farnum Insulators, Kinney Pike Insurance, Mountain View Apartments, Mutual of America, Omega Optical, Paul & Carol McDonnell, People’s United Bank, Sunset Tool, Inc., Westview Terrace Apartments.
General Supporters – the Abare family, Burtco, Inc., EFI, Magee Office Products, Newcomb’s Masonry, Northern Safety & Industrial, PayData Workforce Solutions, Stewart Property Management, and Westminster Auto Service.
In-Kind Contributors – Brattleboro Country Club, Crown Point Country Club, Okemo Country Club, Putney Food Co-op, Vermont Country Deli, and Walmart.
Special thanks go to Brattleboro Country Club and their staff for their assistance, generosity and high quality service in hosting our tournament once again.
Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) was established in 1965 as part of the national War on Poverty and has worked to address the needs of low-income residents of Windham & Windsor Counties for over 50 years. In addition to providing the “safety net” for households in financial crisis, its services help them stabilize their lives, make their homes safe and energy-efficient, take strides toward becoming self-reliant, and enable their children to escape the generational poverty cycle. These goals are achieved through such programs as Family Services, Crisis Fuel, Housing Services, 3SquaresVT (Food Stamp) Outreach, Weatherization, Home Repair, Small Business Assistance, Financial Fitness Education, Matched Savings Accounts, Job Readiness, Tax Preparation Assistance, Thrift Stores, Health Navigator, and Head Start.