BEAVER, W.V. (LOOTPRESS) – 168 golfers from around the area teed off on Friday at the Grandview Country Club for the Third Annual Southern West Virginia Home Builders Association and Toys for Tots Benefit Golf Tournament.
All the money raised by the tournament will be split evenly between the Home Builders Association’s scholarship fund and Toys for Tots. Toys for Tots will be using the money to purchase toys to give out at Christmas.
Beth Reger, Executive Officer for the Southern West Virginia Home Builder’s Association and Station Manager of Southern Communications- a major sponsor of Toys for Tots, looked out onto a course of golfers, commenting on how much the event has grown in such a short period of time.
“We started with 16 teams. We were full last year with 25 teams, and this year, we have 18 teams teeing off at the 8 a.m. time and 24 teams at the 1 p.m. time,” she said. “I think it’s just amazing that everyone is supporting Toys for Tots and the Home Builders Association. We have a lot of volunteers this year too, so I think word has just gotten out. It’s just great involvement.”
This year’s event had various local sponsors, including 84 lumber, Beckley Auto Mall, Hometown Subaru, Affordable Trailer & Truck Repair, Trinity Tree Services, United Bank, CENTEC Engineering, 304 Gutters, Lowe’s, Dr. Pepper Snapple and Southern Communications.
Corner Gas and Grill, Papa John’s and Texas Roadhouse provided breakfast, lunch and dinner for the golfers.
First-time sponsor Joni Kuhn with Trinity Tree Services expressed her excitement to be part of the event.
“It feels good to give back. It’s a wonderful cause- both are a wonderful cause,” she explained. “I think that anytime you can give back to an event, I think that you should. I think that if you can bless others, blessings will come your way.”
Present at Friday’s event was Raleigh County Administrator Jay Quesenberry. For the last decade, Quesenberry has served as coordinator for Toys for Tots, facilitating operations in Raleigh, Fayette, Nicholas, Webster, Wyoming and Mingo County.
According to Quesenberry, the annual golf tournament plays a large role in Toys for Tots’ ability to provide toys to children.
Last year alone the organization served 10,000 of the region’s children and handed out 33,000 toys.
“We are so, so blessed,” Quesenberry said. “It’s a collective effort, and it’s a huge team effort to make this happen. This has grown a lot and the businesses are so supportive.”
Quesenberry thanked the sponsors and volunteers for their hard work, highlighting the goodness of West Virginia’s people.
“The community of people are so good here. This is what makes West Virginia a great place, and that is the people. We have the nicest people on the planet right here, and they are always supporting things like this.”
Local residents hit the green to show their support, as did county officials. Raleigh County Commission President Dave Tolliver, County Commissioner Greg Duckworth, Raleigh County Assistant Administrator Billy Michael and former Raleigh County Administrator Jeff Miller were seen Friday afternoon sharing a hole.
“Everyone is having a blast, and no one has been slow,” Reger said. “It’s just a good turnout.”
Reger said that, although the final total has yet to be calculated, she believes the event will surpass its $25,000 goal.
