"Links for Learning" Raises $18,000 for UACCM

The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM) Foundation held its fifth annual “Links for Learning” Golf Tournament fundraiser on Thursday, May 20, 2010 at the Morrilton Country Club. A field of more than 100 golfers battled early morning downpours of rain before finishing out the three-person scramble under sunny skies. The tournament was the most successful to date, raising approximately $18,000 in net proceeds for UACCM.

Southwestern Energy Company served as the tournament’s $3500 Platinum Sponsor. Energy Weldfab, Inc. was a $2000 Gold Sponsor, with Nesco Land/Field Services pledging $1,000 to the Foundation and serving as a Tournament Sponsor. The event had eleven $500 Team Sponsors: Benchmark Title, Champion Technologies, Crafton Tull Sparks Engineering, Daylight Donuts, DeSoto Drilling, Edward Jones Investments, KVOM, Regions Bank, Southern Pipeline Construction Co., Inc., St. Anthony’s Medical Center and Virco, Inc. Numerous donors pledged $100 as Hole Sponsors: Adams Eye Care, American Reality, AMI Engineering, Inc., Arka Valley Liquor, Benchmark Title, Calfrac Well Services, Central Arkansas Dust Control, Champion Technologies, Conway County Regional Water District, Crafton Tull Sparks Engineering, Daylight Donuts, DeSoto Drilling, Edward Jones Investments, Energy Weldfab, Inc., Farmers and Merchants Bank, Fennell Purifoy Architects, Koontz Electric, KVOM, Liberty Bank, McDonald's of Morrilton, Mobley Concrete, Morrilton Abstract, NESCO Land/Field Services, Petit Jean Meats, Petit Jean State Bank, Regions Bank, Rich and Natalie Moellers, Southern Pipeline Construction Co., Inc., Southwestern Energy, St. Anthony's Medical Center, Steve and Rhonda Trowbridge, T3 Energy Services, Tobacco Corner Plus, Virco, Inc. and the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute of the University of Arkansas System. Food and beverage sponsors included Farmers and Merchants Bank and Coca-Cola. Maus Implement served as the Hole-in-One Sponsor offering a John Deere riding lawn mower to anyone sinking a shot with one drive on hole number 10.

Funds from this year’s tournament will be allocated to Union Square, a planned outdoor recreation area on the UACCM campus. Union Square will be constructed adjacent to the campus student center and will include landscaping, a fountain, planters, benches, fencing, an intramural basketball court, portable bleachers and more.

UACCM Director of Public Relations and Marketing and Foundation Board Member Mary Clark said the success of the tournament was made possible by the generosity of the businesses, individuals, vendors and volunteers who contributed. Clark stated, “The UACCM Foundation is thankful for the overwhelming support by area businesses and individuals who made contributions toward the tournament, as well as for the great turnout. Thanks for helping make this our most successful Foundation event to date.”

The winners of the golf ball drop fundraiser were Mark Stobaugh ($1000 winner) and Karen Taylor ($250 winner). Michael Clements was winner of the longest drive contest and Josh Beck was winner of the closest to the pin contest. First place winners were: first flight—Stan Pace, Nelson Ennis and Blake Duncan; second flight—Chuck Lovelace, Bobby Houston and Jack Hamm; third flight—Ken Freeman, Keith Vess and Greg Ricono.