Golf players will tee off today at Haile Plantation Golf & Country Club to fundraise for athletes from the Alachua County chapter of Special Olympics Florida.
The Second Annual Golf Classic Tournament, which will be hosted at the Mark Bostick Golf Course and last year raised $6,000, will start at 12:30 p.m. This year’s goal is $10,000 and goes toward athletes’ expenses including competitions and travel, said Davey King, the county director of Special Olympics Florida, Alachua County. He said the money aids special athletes who would normally not have the resources to participate in their sport.
“We never want a cost to be a barrier of entry,” King said.
Sabrina Ochoa, a development intern, helped contact businesses for sponsorship, including BMW of Gainesville and Perry Roofing Contractors.
“This is my first year involved with Special Olympics, and I can say that it has been a blast,” she said.
The cost to play in the tournament is $100 and includes green fees, a cart, lunch and a tee gift, according to the organization’s website.
Special Olympics Florida, Alachua County heavily relies on volunteers and donations to support intellectually disabled athletes, King said.
“This event means that people in the community care about our athletes with intellectual disabilities and support their involvement in sports and other activities,” he said. “Whenever I’m around (special) athletes, I’m always having a good time. Their happy attitudes and personalities are just so infectious.”
