Some 100 golfers played a charity golf scramble on Friday to benefit The Arc of Alachua County.
Mark Johnson, the director of development and public relations for The Arc, has been in charge of organizing the event for the past 12 years.
According to The Arc’s website, the event started in 1998 and received a record number of donations last year. Johnson said he hopes to achieve even more donations this year.
“Last year we raised $53,000 and we are hoping to knock that over this year,” said Johnson.
The Arc of Alachua County is a community-based organization that provides services, support, respect and advocacy for people with developmental disabilities to help them become full participants in the community.
The organization, which was started by a group of parents in 1962, became a nonprofit entity in 1966.
Johnson said the entirety of the funds raised in the Bob Rose Golf Scramble will go toward The Arc’s clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
WSKY Radio 97.3 FM is the premier sponsor for the event. There are a total of 20 other sponsors that have donated.
Jaxon Scofield is a service advisor for Gainesville Harley-Davidson and an intermediate manager at Ride Home Realty, both of which are sponsors of the event.
“The charity is amazing. I think it's important to, you know, give back to the community,” Scofield said. “So, I am proud to be part of that.”
The Ben E. Keith Company, a distributor of food and beverage products, has been a sponsor for the event for around 15 years, said Johnathan Dougherty, the marketing director.
This event did not just raise funds for those with developmental disabilities, it also created memories between friends.
“Last year, we played this event, and I hit my driver, and the club head flew off my driver,” said Dougherty. “So, now it is a joke between all of us.”
Chris McEntyre, a participant in the charity scramble and an employee at Ben E. Keith Company has been taking part in the event for two years.
“I think all the fond memories is all the networking,” said McEntyre. “You meet great people; we are all out here for a great cause, and golf is always fun.”
