The GRCC Raiders softball team hosted a golf outing at the Braeside Golf course in Rockford last Saturday to raise money for a Raiders softball scholarship.
Head coach Paula Maloley started a Raiders softball scholarship fund in the year 2000, and the team has been hosting golf outings to raise money ever since.
Each softball player was asked to try and recruit four golf players–family, friends, teachers or co-workers. Each of the 93 players paid $75 to play a round of golf. They played a scramble, in which the players of each group got one shot, and they played off the best ball for 18 holes.
“Just this weekend we have raised $10,000, but over the last 12 years we have raised $99,000 to be put into the Raiders softball scholarship,” Maloley said. “The golf outing is always a success.”
The girls went out two weeks before school started to get prizes and sponsors.
“It takes a lot of work to get a golf outing ready. A lot of time and mileage is taken place,” Maloley said. “We planned the golf outing after Labor Day because the rates were cut in half due to the change in season, and not many people golf at this time the year.”
Parent volunteers helped by bringing food for the event and organizing the food’s setup and breakdown. And Buffalo Wild Wings donated 300 wings to the event. The girls brought deserts to share.
“I think that it’s a great idea for a fundraiser, it’s fun to be there, and it’s a great way to get to know the team with all the team bonding time,” said Tiani Beck, sophomore, from Ithica.
As well as the golf outing, the softball team is hosting three bowling outings, cookie dough and sub fundraiser, and will be hosting a softball clinic in Traverse City in January and one here in Grand Rapids.
“We are thankful that GRCC allows us to do fundraising as it adds to the Raiders softball scholarship fund,” Maloley said. “The benefit to this is that it gives additional money to recruit players for the following years to come.”
