South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Plastic ducks drop and golfers deliver $400K to charity
The third time proved to be the charm for the Boca West Children’s Foundation’s eighth annual $100,000 Golf Challenge as it raised $400,000 for charity.
The golf challenge, which was originally scheduled for March 30 and was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was then slated for Nov. 8-9 but again moved because of inclement weather stemming from Tropical Storm Eta.
Pam Weinroth, the foundation’s executive director, said at the first postponement the golf department gave her November options for the reschedule — Nov. 8 and 9 — along with Nov. 22.
“Because golf hadn’t had its resurgence back in March,” Weinroth said, “I picked [Nov. 8 and 9] because I thought the Nov. 22 (date) might be an issue because of Thanksgiving. Who would have thought a hurricane in November?
“I guess it just sums up 2020,” she said. “We were concerned a little a few days out because it was showing rain for [Nov. 22].”
Sunny skies greeted the 76 members of Boca West who were able to get their round in on Nov. 22. The Golf Challenge also kept participants safe and socially distanced.
The remaining golfers who had signed up, over 400 more, will be able to play anytime on non-seasonal times and still be afforded most of the same perks, including lunch and dinner for the fundraiser for the foundation’s 31 participating children’s charity partners.
“We were (postponed) twice before, but it is very special,” said Boca West resident and club member Bob Lerner, 73, who has lived in the community since 1993. “We do a lot of good and a lot of children depend on it, and it makes us feel very good to be able to do this.”
Lerner said he and the other members are just happy to help in many fundraising endeavors.
“I think most of the members still pinch themselves when they come through the gates, and they feel very, very fortunate where they are in a position where we can share that,” he said. “We like to do that and it makes us feel good.”
Like most charity golf tournaments, there were hot dogs and hamburgers on the course, but there were also lobster rolls and French dip sandwiches.
“It’s not about the food,” Lerner said, laughing. “The more I eat, the worse I hit the ball… What can I say? They do a very nice job. They don’t have to do anything and people would still come out to give to the charity.”
Earlier this year, the foundation celebrated its 10th anniversary and the granting of overthe $10 million for projects that serve at-risk youth. The total amount raised through the annual golf challenges through the years is $5.3 million, including $258,000 in its first year. The $400,00 raised this year was similar to last year’s total.
One of the fundraising tools at the Golf Challenge included
750 plastic ducks dropped from a crane. Every duck was purchased for $50 and whoever had the winning duck won $2,500. This year’s winner was Michael
Turetzky. The rest went to raise funds.
Weinroth noted that of the
$650 that each golfer paid to play, $500 of it was going toward a charity. Each charity will receive between $2,000 and $10,000, depending on its team’s placement.
“Many of our charity partners have had to cancel their fundraisers this year and our golf challenge will serve as fundraisers for each of our participating children’s nonprofits,” she said. “We are delighted to offer this fundraising platform for these charities.
“We gave the charities the option to use our golf tournament as their golf tournament,” Weinroth said. “They could advertise it as theirs and if they collected the money we would give them back $2,000 for every foursome that they would bring. If they got a sponsor, we would give them back the money.”
Players received breakfast in addition to lunch, a golf gift valued at about $150, which could have been a putter, a wedge or a Bushnell speaker that would fit on their golf cart, golf balls and Maui sunglasses. They also received a hat, shirt, towel and a mask.
Visit bocawestfoundation.org/.