Despite rainfall, members of the community came out to support the United Way of La Porte County at their 12th annual golf outing on Monday, August 15th. Not only did the day offer unique prizes and plenty of food, but also a great cause for the community to stand behind.
With tickets for the event selling out, 144 lucky golfers were able to enjoy numerous amenities. Lunch was served before tee-off, followed by a steak dinner. Throughout the course there were games to play, as well as food and drinks at every single hole.
“As we start the golf outing at noon today, we have already raised over $50,000 for United Way,” said United Way of La Porte County Director of Corporate Engagement Dave Sisk said. “It’s an expensive golf outing, but it does benefit our community. We are very proud of those who come out every year to do this. As you go through the 18 holes, there is lots of stuff to do. It’s probably one of the best outings in the area.”
A silent auction gave golfers a chance to win many sports-themed items such as signed footballs and posters. On top of the silent auction, participants also had the opportunity to win a car if they hit a hole-in-one. Four cars were up for grabs, all courtesy of Sauers Buick GMC.
Another sponsor that made the event possible was Tonn and Blank Construction. Tonn and Blank Consultant Joe Coar said, “We want to help La Porte County and the people that need help from the different organizations in the area. We just want to be a good friend to the community. We wanted to sponsor United Way because of what they stand for. United Way covers all the organizations that we participate with in the area. We believe that they do a lot of good and we’re happy to be able to help them.”
Though a day of golf is all about fun, the mission of United Way also played a huge role in the impact of the outing.
“This is one of our top events that we do,” said United Way Executive Director Kris Pate. “We have so many exciting impact collaborations that are launching right now and the money coming from events like today help to fund those.”
This July, United Way of La Porte County launched their first financial stability impact group. The group will work to increase financial literacy, job readiness, and reduce homelessness. Next July, United Way will be launching a health and education impact group.
Pate said, “It’s just so exciting that we have agencies coming together towards common, measurable goals and this is the first time this has happened in LaPorte County. We are very excited.”
As a United Way golf outing veteran, Bill Gertner of Horizon Bank has been supporting the organization for quite awhile. Gertner said, “Today is a wonderful way to support this organization and have fun at the same time. United Way checks that all the nonprofits that are receiving funding are using the funds for what they requested. We all don’t have the time or knowledge to ensure those things are fulfilled, so it’s important to have United Way oversee that.”
For more information on the services of the United Way of La Porte County, click here.