Font Size: A A A

Bluefield College recently hosted its Seventh Annual Alpha Natural Resources Golfers' Challenge at Pipestem State Park and Resort, and local golf enthusiasts who participated or supported the project helped the school earn more than $40,000 for student-athletes -- the highest gift total for a BC Golfers' Challenge since its inception in 2002

October 20, 2008

Bluefield College recently hosted its Seventh Annual Alpha Natural Resources Golfers' Challenge at Pipestem State Park and Resort, and local golf enthusiasts who participated or supported the project helped the school earn more than $40,000 for student-athletes -- the highest gift total for a BC Golfers' Challenge since its inception in 2002.    

Twenty-two teams sponsored by local individuals, organizations, and businesses competed in the captain's choice scramble. Prizes were awarded to the first, second and third place team finishers.    

First place honors for the Challenge went to Citizen's Building Supply and its four-member team of Johnny Brown, Anthony Catron, Mark Catron, and Ron Profitt.    

Second place went to a team fielded by Cole Chevrolet, comprised of players Robert Buckles, Bryan Cooper, Jim Huffman, and Bryan Webb.    

The third place prize went to Carilion's Tazewell Community Hospital and its foursome of Bryan Belts, Jack Hawks, Shelly Keene-Hicks, and Sparky Watson.    

In addition to first place Citizen's Building Supply, second place Cole Chevrolet, and third place Tazewell Community Hospital, a host of other teams competed in the BC Golfers' Challenge, thanks to the generosity of corporate sponsors like Alpha Natural Resources, BB&T, Cimarron Coach, David Bailey & Associates, Enterprise, First Community Bank, Locklear Media, McDaniel Consulting, McDonald's, New People's Bank, Pocahontas Land Corporation, Richwood Golf Club, Sam's Club, Skyway Outdoor Signs, Source 4 Printing, TruPoint Bank, Wachovia, and WVVA-TV.    

Individual players or supporters from the 19 remaining teams included Alpha Natural Resources' Terry Cole, Cecil Daniels, Ken Perdue, and Jimmy Rinehart; BB&T's Roger Buckner, Jeff Coulter, Larry Ratliff, and Kevin Worley; Cimarron Coach's Annie Blair, Bryan Janovec, Keith Janovec, and Jake Remines; David Bailey & Associates' Team A Chip Hurley, David Olive, Phillip Puckett, and Erik Robinson; David Bailey & Associates' Team B David Bailey, Doyle Rasnick, Christian Rickers, and Larry Slagle; Enterprise's Phil Warburt, Raymond Washington, and Brett Webster; First Community Bank's Merl Burkshire, Bob Buzzo, Bill Hopkins, and Herb McClarity; Locklear Media's Stephen Baker, Bill Evans, Chris McKenzie, and Toby Ziglar; McDaniel Consulting's Mike Baker, David Bolton, Jay Johnson, and Doug McDaniel; McDonalds' Shawn Anders, Carl Heath, Randy Reeves, and Steve Shorts; New People's Bank's Eddie Jennings, Gary Lawson, Charlie Paschall, and Johnny Poole; Pocahontas Land Corporation's Bill Carper, John Payne, Ron Satterfield, and Ron Whalen; Richwood Golf's Raymond Mulkey, Bill Rich, Tom Rohrer, and Gene Wise; Sam's Club's Keith Beckett, B.J. Beyer, Matt Perritti, and Michael Rebuck; Skyway Outdoor's Rod Hamblin, Bill Lewis, Preston Mathena, and Steve Nolley; Source 4's Ben Creasy, Gary Creasy, Michael O'Brien, and David Wilson; Tru-Point's Larry Brewster, Bill Lester, Garnet Lester, and Larry Mullins; Wachovia's Bobby Hunter, Crocker Lowe, Jeff Murray, and Wills Murray; and WVVA's Frank Brady, Greg Carter, Norm Miller, and Tom Moses.    

Individual awards were presented during the Golfers' Challenge to Bill Hopkins (who nailed the "longest drive") and Eddie Jennings (who hit "closest to the pin"). In other drawings and prizes David Bailey won a round of golf at Castlerock, Keith Beckett won a round of golf at Fincastle Country Club, Keith Janovec won Major League Baseball tickets to see the Washington Nationals play the New York Mets, and Larry Ratliff won MLB tickets to see the Washington Nationals play the San Diego Padres.    

Other supporters or contributors to the BC Golfers' Challenge included First Sentinel Bank, Industrial Planting & Machine, and Outback Steakhouse. Alpha Natural Resources served as the exclusive corporate sponsor of the event, while Outback Steakhouse of Princeton, West Virginia, provided lunch for all participants.    

The $40,000 in proceeds before expenses from the Golfers' Challenge will go to help the BC Athletic Department with recruiting, travel, equipment, and other student-athlete needs.    

"The community really came out to support us this year," said Annette Tabor, BC's director of donor relations who spearheads the Golfers' Challenge. "We never thought we'd top last year, but the community was just so supportive, and we were able to exceed our goal."

Comments: