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After many years of
focusing its fund raising activities primarily through the Annual Oak
Cliff Lions Club “Extravaganza”, the Club Board of Directors determined
during the 2002-2003 Club year that an additional major
fund
raising effort was needed to help continue raising the amount of money
that had been donated to charitable causes through the years. Decision
was made to hold the First Annual Oak Cliff Lions Golf Tournament.
Through the leadership
of Stoney Greene and Linda Kay Peterson, and many others, the event was
planned for April 2003, at the prestigious Oak Cliff Country Club, site
of the original Dallas Open Golf Tournament in the 1960’s, now known as
the Byron Nelson Classic. Hole Sponsors, major donors, and volunteers
were solicited by the Golf Tournament Committee and the turnout of
players was outstanding. A delicious Buffet Dinner was served following
the Tournament and when the final receipts were totaled, the Club
netted some $13,000 from its first year effort.
Rallied by the success
of the event, the Board voted to make the Tournament an Annual part of
the Lion’s Calendar. So again, the Golf Tournament Committee did their
solicitations and under the guidance of Greene, Peterson, Don Herring,
Jr., Stan Altshuler, and others, an April 2004, date was set at the Oak
Cliff Country Club. There were several enhancements over the first
year’s Tournament, including a Steak Dinner, more prizes, gift bags
for all participants, incredible entertainment, and a Golf Clinic by
Hall of Fame golfer Kathy Whitworth, the All-Time Winningest
Professional Golfer in the History of the sport. And once again the
Club and its charities benefited from the fun of the day with yet
another $13,000 netted from the Tournament.
In just two short
years the Oak Cliff Lions Golf Tournament has netted $26,000 for
charitable causes and the outlook is bright for the future.
The 3rd Oak Cliff Lions Club Benefit
Golf Tournament continued the tradition of providing a fun-filled,
prize-filled afternoon of golf for its participants. 84 golfers played
in the Tournament, including 10 student-golfers from Oak Cliff high
schools. The event netted approximately $14,000.00 for Club Charities.
In addition to playing in the Tournament, recruiting other players, and
purchasing hole sponsorships, members of the Club did all the volunteer
activities necessary to make the event successful. Once again, Kathy
Whitworth, the winningest golfer in professional golf history, put on a
Pre-Tournament Clinic and then joined one of the foursomes for a
half-day of golf. Ms. Whitworth is a charming lady who has enjoyed
supporting the Club for the past two years, in part because of some
Lions Club support she received in her youth.
The Oak Cliff Lions Club also continued to receive financial and in-kind
support of major organizations throughout the metroplex. 2005 Gold
Sponsors included Dennis Jeter, Fresenius Management, Neiman Marcus,
Outback Steakhouse-DeSoto, Linda Kay Peterson, Texas Capital Bank, Turner
Construction Company, TXU Electric Delivery, and Wal-Mart. Silver
Sponsors included RBC Dain Rauscher, Southwest Airlines, Don Herring
Mitsubishi, The Oak Cliff Tribune and Vinson & Elkins. Bronze Sponsors
were Adams Golf, Bank of America, Ben E. Keith Company, and the
University of North Texas, Dallas branch.
In addition, the Club received gift certificates and prizes from a wide
range of restaurants and golf related organizations. Danny Boyce made
certain there was an ample supply of golf balls for use in the
tournament, Bill Melton supplied a number of auction items, including
golf balls signed by Jack Nicklaus and Don January and other Club
members recruited and supplied prizes and awards for the tournament. The
Oak Cliff Country Club provided rounds of golf as prizes for
participants. Art Miller video recorded the tournament and played that
video as part of the Outback Steakhouse-DeSoto steak dinner for the golfers.
Chaired by Lion Stan Altshuler, who was joined by many able Lions
assistants, the 2005 Oak Cliff Lions Golf Tournament helped bring the
three year fund raising total to some $40,000.00 for Lions charitable
causes.
In its fourth year of existence the Oak
Cliff Lions Club Golf Tournament gained its first-ever Title Sponsor,
Texas Capital Bank, thanks to Bank employees and Club Members Lion Darla
Wisdom and Lion Wendy Fox. Held on the first Monday of May 2006, at the
beautiful Oak Cliff Country Club, with ideal weather, a wealth of
players and Club volunteers, everyone enjoyed perhaps the most
fun-packed Golf Tourney the Club has sponsored yet. Chaired by Past
President Stoney Greene and led by a pride of dedicated Lions, other
“key sponsors” included Outback Steakhouse-DeSoto; TXU; Neiman Marcus;
Lion Linda Kay Peterson; Vinson & Elkins, LLP; PBS&J; and Don Herring
Mitsubishi. There were also numerous Hole Sponsors, Individual
Sponsors and “Silent” Golfers, most of whom were Club Members.
In conjunction with the Tournament, Golf’s
All-Time Winingest Player Kathy Whitworth, again put on a Clinic for the
participants and the Club held its first-ever Silent Auction.
Practically everyone in attendance and surely all of the golfers went
home with an outstanding door prize of some type and the Oak Cliff
County Club honored the first three placing Teams with gift certificates
to the Club’s Pro Shop.
With a good turnout and hearty support by
Lions, the 2006 Tournament netted some $17,500.00, bringing the four
year net total for the Tournament to approximately $57,500.00 for
charitable causes.
The 2007 Oak Cliff Lions Club Golf Tournament
was held on May 7th on an historic day as the Oak Cliff
Country Club, that day, officially changed its long-time name to the Golf Club at Dallas. Texas
Capital Bank once again was the Title Sponsor for the event, with the
additional financial support of a number of Club Members and community
businesses. There was a full cadre of Lion volunteers, golfers and with
good weather for the day, it was a most successful Tournament. Lion Wendy Fox and Lion Ray Averitt served as Co-Chairs of the
full day of activity, which also included a Silent Auction of many great
donated prizes and Door Prizes for many of the players. Once again, Art
Miller of TXU provided his slide show of the golfers and special music
and effects throughout the Awards Ceremony. The Tournament netted some $18,500.00 thus bringing the five year
total for the Golf Tournament to some $76,000.00.
May 5, 2008, marked the sixth Oak Cliff Lions Club Golf Tournament, returning to
The Golf Club at Dallas, with the largest field of golfers yet in the History of
the Tournament. Chair Carrie Smith and her Committee worked hard to secure
Sponsorships and there were many - KRLD News Radio 1080, 98.7 KLUV, Bank
of Texas, Coca Cola, Bank of America, Outback Steakhouse, Don Herring
Mitsubishi, Energy Spectrum, Jason’s Deli, Golf Galaxy, Able, and Anytime
Fitness. The weather was great, the golf and camaraderie outstanding, with
wonderful food and beverage and prizes all around, as well as an unbelievable
Silent Auction!
And Members of the Oak Cliff Lions Club turned out in droves to volunteer their
time and service for the Event. Once again, Art Miller and Crew from Oncor
provided "live" shots of action from throughout the day at the 19th Hole Dinner
and Winners with great scores were Awarded great prizes. Also, once again, Lion
Linda Peterson traveled all the way from her home in Breckenridge, Colorado to
lead her winning All-Ladies Team in the Tournament. It was a great day with net
proceeds of approximately $20,000.00 raised, bringing the six year total for the
Oak Cliff Lions Golf Tournament to just under $100,000.00.
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