Golfers Randy Perry, Lonnie McClure, Tom McCullough and Nick Sanchez are all part of the Beaver Dam Mafia Golf Club and say the Dec. 22 cold, wet weather didn’t bother them one bit. All four hail from Wyoming and were glad to golf that day for a good cause. Golfers raised $1,070 for the Beaver Dam Food Bank. Photo by Teri Nehrenz.
On Dec. 22 a group of 42 golfers who call themselves the Beaver Dam Mafia (BDM) took to the course at Palms Golf Course in spite of the cold, damp and cloudy day that it was. The players took their perspective ‘tee off’ holes and the shotgun start at 9 a.m. began the day’s tournament. The winner was…the Beaver Dam Food Bank (BDFB) and the many families it assists on a weekly basis.
The tournament players collected a total of $1,070 which they donated to the cause.
BDFB coordinator Darr Willy presented the golf club with a plaque and a speech thanking them for their efforts. The efforts of the BDM were not only recognized for this donation but for another donation that they gave the food bank just last month and the continual help they’ve given over the years.
In the month of November the BDM played a regular Tuesday game with each player chipping in $10. The money is usually given to the winner of the day as prize money. That day’s players numbered nearly 70 and they donated all the prize money for the day to the food bank to purchase turkeys for the families for Thanksgiving. The BDFB was able to purchase a total of 70 turkeys with money left over.
Volunteers at the Beaver Dam Food Bank get ready to open their doors to serve 65 families that receive their assistance on a weekly basis. Money from the recent Beaver Dam Mafia fundraising golf tournament helped to purchase hams for the families’ Christmas dinners. Photo by Teri Nehrenz.
The BDFB volunteers Mike Cashman, Sharon Irvine, Dori Rothenberger, Joy Vott, Elaine Hansen, Roger Kilmer, Judy Mulligan, Phyliss Schonderline and Teia Barber, all led by Willy, work together like a well- oiled machine serving families that depend on the food bank each week.
Bags of food items are preset for families of 2, 3 and 4 or more. Volunteers who set up the bags are mindful of the items they place in them. Each item is carefully chosen and combined so that the families are able to create full meals with the ingredients they receive.
The volunteers are very grateful for the donations they receive from the BDM and from the other sources that donate funds to the food bank. The Sun Shiner’s Mobile Home Park donated $500 twice this year to the food bank and realtor, Dick Lungren is also a major contributor to the food bank.
Even with the generous donations received from the community the BDFB has to regularly receive assistance from the St. George Food Bank to keep going. Volunteers say when times are good they are more than adequately supplied with enough food for the families. But there are times when things are very lean for them and these private donations help a great deal with keeping the food bank going during those times.
For more information on how you can help contribute, contact the Beaver Dam Food Bank at 928-347-5141.
