The 19th Annual Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Golf Tournament to Benefit the United Way of South Sarasota County Foundation • Saturday, October 13

Written by Joyce Cattelane  •  Photos by Danette Bartolotta

Local golfers who enjoy the best that southwest Florida golf courses have to offer will like the chance to participate in a local golf tournament that gives back to the community’s residents.

The 19th Annual Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Golf Tournament to Benefit the United Way of South Sarasota County Foundation will be held Saturday, October 13 at Pelican Pointe Golf & Country Club, 499 Derbyshire Dr., Venice. It will be a four-person shamble, with two flights, with an 8:30 AM shot gun start. The entry fee is $75.00 per person which includes goody bag, breakfast, greens fees, golf cart and lunch catered by Bonefish Grill.

A shamble is a type of golf tournament that combines elements of a scramble with elements of regular stroke play. Like in a scramble, all members of a team (usually four) tee off and the best ball of the four tee shots is selected. All players move their balls to the spot of the best ball. From this point, the hole is played out at stroke play, with all members of the team playing their own ball into the hole. So: select the best shot off the tee, move all balls to that spot, then play individual stroke play until each member of the group has holed out.  Shambles should be played with full handicaps to make sure weaker players contribute to the team score. A “flight” is a term for a division of golfers within a golf tournament. Each “flight,” or division, consists of golfers of roughly similar skills (determined by handicaps).

Proceeds from the golf tournament assist the United Way of South Sarasota County in their efforts to provide funding to 27 agencies and 37 programs that help the residents of North Port, Venice, Englewood, Nokomis, Laurel and Osprey. The United Way’s motto is ‘touching, changing and improving lives in our community,’ and through the public’s participation in fundraising events such as the golf tournament, this will be able to continue.

This month the United Way will have their annual campaign kick-off luncheon at noon on September 20 at Plantation Golf and Country Club, 500 Rockley Blvd., Venice. Local businesses are invited to participate and offer the opportunity for their employees to contribute through payroll deductions, and of course, all donations from individuals to the United Way are welcome.

Steve Brett, executive director, said, “The tournament these past two years has raised money via participation of sponsors and players. We were able to provide funding for all elementary schools in the South County through our Holiday with a Heart program. Each school identified families in dire need and monies from the tournament was used to help those families and children take care of vital needs through the Christmas season.” He added that, “The long term goal of the United Way of South Sarasota County Foundation is to eventually raise enough that the investment income will equal or exceed the operational costs of the United Way of South Sarasota. By accomplishing this we would be able to return 100% of all donations to agency programs. In 2011 over 47,000 families were helped just in the South Sarasota County communities that our agencies provide services (Venice, North Port, Englewood, Laurel, Nokomis and Osprey).”

The goal of the United Way is to serve the needs of our communities, and they do that by providing health and well being of special needs adults and children; strengthening individuals, families and children; crisis intervention for children and adults; and assisting the elderly. Their mission is to increase the organized capacity of people to care for one another.

Brett added, “The United Way of South Sarasota County has many events during the year. The golf tournament is supported by over 100 sponsors and is a fun event with the emphasis on lots of fun. Other fun events such as the February 2013 seventh annual South County Charity Walk held in Venice, the March 2013 third annual North Port Charity Walk, dine out days at Bogey’s, Crow’s Nest and Sharky’s at varying months during the year all add to the annual campaign that fuels the agency programs through allocations to local agencies. The really important message is that through events, individuals who donate and through workplace campaigns in the South Sarasota Community over 47,000 children, families and seniors are helped in their time of need and adversity.”

Evan Duke, United Way board president said, “The need for human services is greater than ever. We need you more than ever! We need your companies, your campaigns, your volunteer time and your hearts. I challenge each of you to get involved in some way, whether it be volunteering for a committee, helping with fund raising, joining us for dine-out-days, participating in our golf tournament and walk-a-thons, letting us speak in front of your company in hopes of putting together a payroll deduction campaign, sitting on an allocations panel or simply by making a contribution. We need each and every one of you. It takes us all to make a difference!”

For more information on the United Way, contact Steve Brett, executive director, at (941) 484-4811, email him at steve@uwssc.com or visit United Way’s website at www.usssc.org. The United Way of South Sarasota County is located in Building C at the Loveland Center, 157 Havana Road, Venice. To make a reservation for the campaign kick-off luncheon, call (941) 484-4811. And to sign up for the golf tournament, contact Brent Pinkerton at bpinkerton@purposeinsurance.com with your handicap.

To make an online secure donation in support of the United Way of South Sarasota County, please visit https://volunteer.truist.com/cng-uwa/donate/?fdn. Please enter their zip code 34292 and your contribution will support your local community.