Love INC Golf Scramble more than just putting ball in the hole
The lone all-woman team to join the fun at the recent Love INC golf scramble fundraiser may not have won, but they had a blast and joined nearly two-dozen teams that supported Love INC's cause.
Area golfers stepped up and showed some love to the Holmes County Love In the Name of Christ staff and its efforts with 22 four-person teams uniting at Fire Ridge Golf Course for the inaugural Love INC Golf Scramble on Saturday, June 19 in Millersburg.
Not only did the golf teams come through in a big way, so too did area churches and businesses. According to Love INC executive director Vicki Conn, they were able to secure hole sponsorships from more than 30 area businesses and churches that understand the important role Love INC plays in reaching out to area families that need support and guidance.
“We were so thrilled to see 22 teams show up to play, but we also saw some incredible support from the community in other ways,” Conn said. “Not only did we have our hole sponsorships, we also had many area churches step up by providing all of the food that was donated for the event. They dropped off all of the food, and the Fire Ridge staff was amazing in the way they stepped up and helped us. They really went above and beyond in the way they treated us.”
The event was the brainchild of Love INC board member Tom Lee. He said while nobody really knew a whole lot about putting on a golf scramble within the organization, many hands made for lighter work and Conn did a fantastic job of spearheading all of the minute details. That made the tournament a success.
“I know absolutely nothing about golf and the many pieces that go into making something like this happen, so I told Tom and everyone else that I would need some help in figuring out how to make it go,” Conn said. “They were all very patient with me, and I learned a lot, and everyone really pitched in, and it all came together.”
She also credited board member A.J. Knapp with playing a pivotal role as someone who actually plays a lot of golf and knows about these types of events.
Not only did local teams come out in support of the organization that has touched the lives of many families in various ways the past six-plus years, but also there were even teams from outside the area who decided to play for a cause.
According to Conn, one team hailed from Cuyahoga County. That team usually plays in the Cuyahoga Love INC golf tournament, but this year’s event was on a date they couldn’t attend. They then saw where Holmes County was hosting a tournament and made the trek south to Amish Country for the weekend.
In addition, they also had a team from out of the area in Cleveland that was visiting the area for the weekend and wanted to golf at Fire Ridge but realized there was an outing. They asked if they could join and were invited to have some fun and enjoy some golf and food amidst all of the entertaining discussion following the event.
Lee said while people enjoy the golf aspect of the event, many of them play because they recognize the important role Love INC plays in the community, from its many support ministries to its various educational and instructional teaching classes.
Lee said it is marvelous to see the impact Love INC is having on families, and as a juvenile judge, he has close ties to many in the county.
“What I love about Love INC is that it becomes a relationship with these kids and with the families,” Lee said. “I’ve come to believe that change only occurs through the building of relationships. It isn’t just about throwing money at families and sending them on their way. It’s about walking with them and coming alongside them to encourage and love them. That is what it takes to change lives.”
Conn said Love INC continues to gain ground after the pandemic slowed everything to a crawl. She said after conducting classes throughout the year via Zoom conferencing, they had a spring round of smaller classes, and the summer classes have been ramped up to full capacity and are being well attended.
From Homes of Hope, which provides living quarters for families trying to re-establish themselves, to Faith and Finance and budgeting classes, Love INC continues to make inroads with families in positive ways.
This golf tournament provided what Conn called a perfect format to promote everything they hope to establish.
“It’s a great event because it continues to connect our team at Love INC with the community and churches in the county,” Conn said. “That connection is so critical in our ongoing effort to make a difference in people’s lives.”
For more information on Love INC, visit www.loveincofghc.org.