Dave Gallentine, Greg Blurton, Marshall Bower, Jake Spanberger & John Kimbell
FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 13, 2015) – The Rotary Club of Fort Myers Sunrise’s Inaugural Pro-Am Golf Classic raised $16,000 to provide scholarships for local students to continue their education. Funds raised will be matched by The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Inc., bringing the total value to $32,000. Scholarships will focus on technical or trade schools, as well as STEM-based college or university programs.
“The Rotary’s goals and the Foundation’s goals are in alignment, and it is a pleasure working with them to help assure the success of some very deserving students in our public schools,” said Marshall T. Bower, Esq., president and CEO of The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools. “The Rotary Club of Fort Myers Sunrise is a valued partner of ours.”
The inaugural event, held on May 22 at the Forest Country Club in Fort Myers, featured 104 amateur players and 26 professionals teeing off in a two best-ball format and competing for a $1,000 purse. The winning pro was Gail Graham with a score of 68, beating a field of 18 men and 6 women professionals. Currently living in Naples, Graham is a three-time winner in the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and has won nearly $1.3 million as a professional golfer.
“We are very grateful to our sponsors, golfing pros and amateurs, the staff at the Forest Country Club, along with our great partner The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Inc. for assuring a successful first-year event,” said John Kimbell, event chairman. “This enables us to make a big difference in helping young people receive quality education. We are especially interested in supporting fields in which local employers have job opportunities.”
This year’s major event sponsors included Arika Bjorkedal of VIP Realty Group, Dellutri Law Group, P.A., Ed Conner, EnSite, Inc., EnTech, Freedom Insurance Center, Investors’ Security Trust, Iron Ridge Insurance Services, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Marshall T. Bower, Esq., Millennium Physician Group, Prosperity PEO, Rasmussen College, Republic Technologies, R.L. James General Contractors, Inc., Sanibel Captiva Community Bank, Scanlon Auto Group, South Trail Tire & Auto Repair, TKW Consulting Engineers, Inc., and Wells Fargo Advisors.
The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Inc. is a private, 501(c)(3) organization established in 1986. Its mission is to enhance and enrich the quality of public education in Lee County for students and educators through programs, resources, and experiences made possible through corporate, individual, and educational partnerships.
Rotary International is made up of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, and community leaders who come together to create positive, lasting change in their communities and around the world. The Rotary Club of Fort Myers Sunrise includes 37 members who attend weekly meetings and raise money for various efforts including the Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation, the Heights Foundation, Blessings in a Backpack, Junior Achievement, hunger organizations, and more.
For more information, contact Norman Lutz at 239-208-8091 or nlutz@ironridgeinsurance.com.
