CORE’s 2023 Golf Tournament Is a Success!
The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat. The human drama of athletic competition. Such was CORE’s 2023 Golf Tournament on May 18th. Ninety-six golfers took to the course at Thousand Hills Golf Resort to compete for cash and awesome prizes, and all for a good cause!
The tournament was more than just fame and riches for winners. For one, it was tons of fun! This event is evolving into a sports extravaganza without equals. Our competing golfers came in all shapes and sizes, ages and genders, and skill levels and handicaps. During the tournament, the golfers competed, enjoyed great food, caught up with old friends, and got to met new people. Everybody had a blast!
Participants also had the chance to get outdoors on a sunny day and enjoy nature. Branson already is known for its natural beauty, but Thousand Hills truly seems like an oasis even within Branson. Just riding around the course is entertainment in itself. There are streams, lakes, wooded paths, and critters! We couldn’t get the fuzzy woodchuck to stand still for a photo – pity – but we certainly can describe it in one word – adorbs!
Another great thing about this tournament was that it was for our favorite charity – CORE! Our CEO Cary McKee also had the opportunity to tour the course. His attention was focused on the golfers, and he was heartened by what he heard. “The number of people there who came to support us, who I hadn’t met before, surprised me,” Cary told us, “I was blown away, really. They were commending us and telling us that they’re happy to support our cause. They shared heart-felt encouragement.”
An event this monumentally awesome doesn’t just happen by itself. There are lots of people who make it a success, and they deserve thank-yous and shout-outs. First, there are our sponsors and golfers. They made this event happen, knowing that it helps fund our recovery program which, in turn, directly benefits our communities. They’re the best!
There are others who we want to mention, too:
Ozarks Dynacom, our event presenter. The Ozarks Dynacom umbrella consists of 5 Radio Stations, Smart & Simple Communication, Smart & Simple Digital Group, MoArk Sports and The Branson Podcast Network. Their people created and broadcast our radio ad campaign that got the word out over the airwaves and helped make this tournament the best ever. They made sure that everybody in the Ozarks heard about it.
Image Works, Inc., our multi-media provider. While there are three divisions to this company, whenever the public saw CORE’s beautifully printed forms, handouts, mailings, and banners, that’s all Image Works! They did the designs and prints for everything. They also created our website and E-Blasts for the tournament. From the beginning, they kept us on schedule to meet the various undertakings and deadlines necessary to make this tournament happen.
Thousand Hills Golf Resort, the tournament venue. Golf pro Kyler Patterson organized the event, which ran perfectly. He selected all of the prize holes and made sure all the distances were correct. His people also got all of the golfers headed in the right directions to begin play. The clubhouse was all set up to accommodate our people for registration and administration. We easily see why Thousand Hills Golf Resort wins so many awards as Branson’s leading golf destination.
Gather & Graze, our event caterer. Located on historic Downing Street in Hollister, Gather & Graze provided box lunches to all the golfers and staff. We don’t have enough superlatives of praise for this self-described “charcuterie bar.” It’s way better than any food served at a Super Bowl party. Think of Julius Caesar inviting Cleopatra over for dinner – the most delectable, fresh meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts, vegetables, olives, breads, and crackers. It’s that good!
Bass Pro Shops, the dream boat. Bass Pro brought over an awesome boat as inspiration for our golfers. It was the Hole-in-One prize for one of the holes. Everybody got a good look during registration. While nobody won the boat this year, one golfer came within 4 feet of a hole-in-one – so close!
CORE’s Second Milers, hole and contest judges. Our Second Milers helped so much, setting up signage, taking registrations, and serving as judges for prize holes.
All tournament proceeds will go toward providing CORE recovery services. We serve about 240 residential clients at any given time, all of whom have come to us seeking the permanent solution to chronic alcohol and drug use. The auction helps cover the expenses of providing client necessities – the recovery and spirituality classes, recovery groups, counseling, housing, utilities, house supplies, and transportation services.
We at CORE are grateful, humbled, and honored, by the contributions and efforts of all those involved with this tournament. It was so successful that we ran out of spaces for all of the teams who wanted to play. For this reason, we’re considering an all-day tournament for 2024, and a decision about this will be made soon. We hope to see you next year!