Fore For Kids Annual Charity Golf Tournament to Pick Up Where It Left Off

Joe Guyton

The annual Fore For Kids Charity Golf Tournament will take place at the Oro Valley Country Club on Monday, Nov. 22, starting with registration at 11 a.m. and a shotgun at 1 p.m. This is the signature fundraiser of the Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke. All proceeds are used to support area programs and scholarships for children and youth. Past recipients of the fundraiser have included such programs as books and dictionaries for students in the immediate area, a robotics program in the schools, support for 1st Tee in Tucson, computers for Sycamore Canyon, miniature horse therapy for special needs children, college and vocational scholarships for students in our area, plus many more programs for children and youth.

In January 2020, members of The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke were hard at work preparing for the annual Fore For Kids Annual Charity Golf Event to be held in April of that year. This critical fundraiser had been held every year since 1998. Yes, critical because for 21 years this important Rotary event raised over $1/2 million for local community charities serving youth. However, COVID-19 became so severe that the tournament was postponed four times. We were able to schedule again, thanks in great part to the ongoing support of our tournament sponsors. We are also fortunate that our tournament director, Gordon Wainwright, continued to push forward despite one disappointing postponement after another.

Support from community businesses and individuals has been outstanding. Tournaments such as Fore For Kids cannot be successful without sponsor support. We have also been blessed with celebrity support. For several years, Hall of Fame U of A basketball coach, Lute Olson, was the tournament’s celebrity player. Lute’s support was unending. Lute will be greatly missed. The Fore for Kids Annual Charity Golf Tournament has become an important event in the community and is also fun for Rotarians, golfers, and guests.

The tournament will be a four-person best ball scramble. Registration includes golf, driving range, prizes, an on-course lunch, and an after-play barbecue buffet. There will be special hole-in-one awards on all par 3’s.

We have just a few spots that have become available after so many changes in dates. Oro Valley Country Club is a private club, and it’s difficult to find an opportunity to play there. The registration fee is $150 for a single golfer. Register as a foursome ($560) and receive a discount of $40 per foursome. Checks can be made out to the SaddleBrooke Rotary Club Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization.

Contact Gordon Wainwright for more information at 520-908-6110 or [email protected].

The Rotary Club currently meets at the Ranch House at SaddleBrooke Ranch.

If you would like information on how Rotary may fit into your life and schedule, contact Wendy Guyton at 520-404-5712 or [email protected].