MAUMELLE — The annual Bishop McDonald Catholic Charities Golf Classic expanded this year to include a dinner, dance and silent auction the night before the tournament, coordinator Roz Rector said.
The four-man scramble has been held for the past 12 years to support several programs, including the Respect Life Office, Project Rachel, Catholic Adoption Services, the Westside Free Medical Clinic, the Hurricane Recovery Office and Catholic Immigrations Services. Overall, more than $30,000 was raised for the ministries.
On Sept. 24 about 155 players and their spouses attended the dinner at the Maumelle Country Club. Father John Marconi of Pocahontas and Father John Kerr of Little Rock, both players in the tournament, were masters of ceremonies for the event, and a PowerPoint presentation was made on Catholic Charities programs.
Rector said the catholicity of the tournament was enhanced even more by honoring St. Andrew, the patron saint of golf, and other saints. An image of St. Andrew was on each table during the dinner. The signs acknowledging the tournament sponsors around the golf course also featured the businesses’ or families’ patron saints.
“One couple was a sponsor and their sign featured St. Valentine, the patron of love,” Rector said.
“One of the players said he really liked that a lot,” she added about the patron saints. “It was so Catholic. Each player also got a rosary. We had more emphasis on the Catholic faith.”
Making the tournament a two-day event allowed for spouses to get involved, said Rector, who has also played in the tournament with her husband and three sons for the past 11 years.
“We felt like we didn’t have a lot of fellowship with the people throughout the years,” she said.
Previously, the tournament included a morning and afternoon tee time with a dinner served at the end of the day.
Msgr. J. Gaston Hebert, diocesan administrator, attended the event and spoke about Catholic Charities. The silent auction, headed by Stephanie Krauser of Little Rock, raised more than $5,000.
The Kat Hood Trio provided music. Gerald Grummer, a member of Immaculate Conception Church in North Little Rock and owner of Western Sizzlin in Jacksonville, donated the steak dinners for the golfers and spouses.
The next day, 144 players teed off in the morning and afternoon.
The winners of the tournament were Billy Wright, Joe Gentry, George Toombs and Tom Browne, all of Maumelle, with a score of 52.
Pam Evans of North Little Rock won $100 in the putting contest on the practice green.
“I think this was the best year,” Rector said. “I hope through this effort people do know more about Catholic Charities.”
Tournament expands to two-day event at Maumelle club
