Golf Classic to benefit children and families

As part of its 125th anniversary celebrations, Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries plans to hold its first Saline County Golf Classic on June 21 at Longhills Golf Course in Benton.

“We have been wanting to have a Central Arkansas Classic for a while,” said Stella Prather, director of communications, noting there has been one in Northwest Arkansas for the past 15 years.

The group felt Benton was the perfect place to hold the fundraiser because it has so many donors and supporters in the area.

Prather said they talked to the Lindsey family, who owns Longhills. The family wanted to host on their course.

“We are very thankful for the Lindsey family and their contributions to the golf tournament,” Prather said.

She listed Geyer Springs Baptist Church, First Baptist Church of Benton, Indian

Springs Baptist Church and First Southern Baptist Church as some of the ministries’ supporters.

Arkansas Baptist Children’s

Homes and Family Ministries serves single mothers and their children, children in foster care and counseling.

“We’ve been caring for children and families in crisis since 1894,” Prather said. It began in Monticello and now has different ministries all across the state.

In 2017, the ministries began its Connected Foster Homes program. It works with Child and Family Services to recruit and train foster families and reunite and support biological families.

The ministries have served more than 100 children, 300 families and provided more than 2,000 counseling sessions in the last year.

The Classic will be a four-person scramble offering two flights at 8:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. Registration for the morning flight will be 8 a.m. and the afternoon flight at 1 p.m.

Three Sams BBQ and Catering will provide lunch. Prather said snacks will also be available.

At the end of each flight, the top three teams will be awarded. There will also be prizes for closest-to-the-pin and longest drive.

More information about the ministries, the golf classic and registration can be found at www.arkansasfamilies.org. To register, click on the “donate” button, call Special Event Coordinator John Ross at 501-658-5293 or email Prather at sprather@arkansasfamilies.org.

The cost is $320 per team or $80 for individuals.

Players will receive golf towels and golf balls.

Sponsors for the event include Roller-alcoa

Funeral Home, the deacons of Geyer Springs Baptist Church and the Lindsey family.

“Through this Classic and other donors and other events, our organization is more committed than ever to build, strengthen and restore Arkansas families family care, foster care and counseling ministries,” Prather said.