Twitter
Facebook
Charlie Company, 53rd Signal Battalion hosted its first Landstuhl USO Wounded Warrior Center Golf Tournament Aug. 29 at the Woodlawn Golf Club on Ramstein, raising more than $4,000 for the Landstuhl USO Wounded Warrior Center.
Dawn Rysavy, Landstuhl USO Wounded Warrior Center director, said the $4,155 raised was the largest donation they’ve received to date. The center plans to use the funds to improve the facility for the warriors and families it supports.
The four-person “best ball” event included 20 teams comprised of volunteers and Soldiers and included competitions for the longest drive, as well as closest to the pin. Each team could purchase a mulligan (do-over) or gimmie (free shot) package to up the ante.
Staff Sgt. Raymond Flores and Sgt. Toby Hensley high-five to celebrate a birdie putt, while Spc. Sean Palo and Spc. Brett Lawson look on during the first Landstuhl USO Wounded Warrior Center Golf Tournament hosted by Charlie Company, 53rd Signal Battalion Aug. 29 at the Woodlawn Golf Club on Ramstein. The tournament raised more than $4,000 to benefit patrons of the Landstuhl USO Wounded Warrior Center.
By competition’s end, two teams were tied for the lead at 18 under par. Both teams selected one player for shoot out on the No. 10 par 3. The team led by Landstuhl Regional Medical Center’s Col. Scott Johnson won with a shot less than 10 feet from the pin. The winning team was presented with a gift bag of apparel courtesy of the Wounded Warrior Project.
After the competition, golfers and volunteers enjoyed a lunch buffet and participated in a raffle drawing. Prizes included a golf bag, drivers, putters and Wounded Warrior Project golf apparel.
The idea for the golf tournament came almost a year ago from Charlie Company’s Sgt. William Owen, planning committee lead. Owen said he wanted to put together an event that would be able to make an impact on the community, and the Landstuhl Wounded Warrior Center was a perfect fit.
“We learned a lot of great lessons on how we can make this event better next year,” Owen said, adding he has already begun planning the 2014 event. “More importantly, it was an example to other units in the garrison that a small unit like Charlie Company can still have a big impact in the community,” Owen said.
Even though Charlie Company is only a 59-Soldier unit, it, along with Family Readiness Group volunteers, has been active in volunteering in the local community. For nearly two years, Charlie Company has partnered with the Landstuhl Wounded Warrior Center.
Stephanie Flores, the Charlie Company FRG volunteer coordinator, shared that on a quarterly basis, the company and its FRG provides meals to service members who utilize the facility.
“We really wanted an opportunity to give back to the center in a different way, and the golf tournament idea worked great,” Flores said.
