United Way golf tournament on Aug. 14 is sold out
Safety precautions will be in place for event at Shelridge
Photo by Ginny Kropf: McCarthy Lang, an employee of Shelridge Country Club, holds one of the towels which will be included in gift packets for the record number of golfers signed up for Orleans County United Way’s golf tournament Aug. 14.
MEDINA – When United Way of Orleans County decided to go ahead with their annual golf tournament, they knew extraordinary measures would have to be taken to ensure everyone’s safety.
United Way director Dean Bellack and Shelridge Country Club’s manager Brett Decker knew they could pull it off.
The big question was, would golfers feel safe enough to come out and support it?
Bellack and the United Way board are ecstatic to report the golf tournament is a sellout, with a maximum of 32 teams signed up.
“I take my responsibility seriously and that includes the image of our agency in the county,” Bellack said. “Most other charities canceled their fundraising events this year. We are the only golf tournament to date, and because of that we have a very large event, which will be safe and will help us in our mission to serve the Orleans County community.”
After conferring with Decker, Bellack announced the following changes.
Golfers will not enter the building to be registered. Golfers will go directly to their carts upon arriving, where staff, with masks on, will sign them in. Carts will be spread out significantly so safe distancing is maintained.
A basket raffle is always part of the golf tournament, but tickets for the raffle this year will only be sold when golfers sign in. They will be able to enter the clubhouse to put tickets in the baskets when they move from the third to the fourth hole, and only one foursome at a time will have access to the baskets.
As an added note, United Way is still accepting donations of baskets, from any of our partner agencies or from anyone who wishes to support United Way’s endeavor. Anyone who would like to donate a basket may call Bellack at (585) 721-6716 and someone will pick it up.
Lunch will be served on course.
Dinner will no longer be a sit-down affair in the club house. It will be a chicken barbecue in a box to go. If some golfers would like to stay and eat, seating for about 45 people will be available.
Bellack added there are still opportunities for hole sponsorships and anyone who would like to support United Way by becoming a hole sponsor may contact him at the above number.
Prizes will be announced immediately after the tournament.
Bellack stressed how important this golf tournament is to United Way and its mission to help the agencies it supports in Orleans County. The golf tournament, which originally began decades ago as the Van Hungerford Memorial Golf Tournament, is United Way’s biggest fundraiser. The late Van Hungerford is credited for starting a community organization which eventually became United Way.
