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"The Benefit Golf Classic
Story"
The Benefit Golf Classic was the brainchild of Bill Quimby.
Bill's participation on the Advisory Council of the Oregon Burn Center provided
insight as to the need for fund raising to further the work of the Burn Center.
Projects in the past raised money but in limited amounts. Something new was
needed to generate interest and bring awareness to the Burn Center's outstanding
work.
In 1995, Bill approached Gene Daily with the idea of putting on a golf
tournament to generate capital for the Burn Center. Bill knew the needs of the
Center and Gene knew the mechanics of putting on a golf tournament. Many
discussions over the next year and a half took place until November of 1996 when
the decision was made to create "The Benefit Golf Classic". What a grand
adventure a decision like this would turn out to be.
The first tournament was scheduled for the weekend in July 1997. The hope was to
raise $3,000 the first year. A tournament committee of Bill Quimby- PP&L, Gene
Daily- PP&L, Doug Shaffer -PGE and Randy Silbaugh-PGE was formed to put it all
together. Debbie Guerra PP&L and Pam Treece PP&L gave additional support. Pam's
experience with fund raising was without question the most pivotal cornerstone
to the success of the event. Pam shaped our goals and expectations far beyond
anything we thought possible. Pam was right; our community was ready to get
behind the event and support the Oregon Burn Center.
The 1997 Benefit Golf Classic was a huge success raising $13,7000, far beyond
all our exceptions. One identifying aspect of our tournament was the idea of
Doug Shaffer, "The Colored Ball". This event was very popular and has become a
permanent part of the Benefit Golf Classic. Success breeds the desire for others
to join the excursion.
The 1998 tournament garnered many new committee members, the most notable of
whom was Ted Bland of Enron. Ted brought the idea of a Texas barbecue to make
the luncheon after the tournament an event of its own.
In 1998, the Benefit Golf Classic raised $41,500 and opened doors for new
visions of what this event could do for the Burn Center. The committee went into
the 1999 event with real vision and purpose. New committee members with fresh
ideas and strong desires assured the 1999 event to be a big success.
Understatement again, as the 1999 Benefit Golf Classic raised over $61,000.
The tournament was making a significant impact on what we could do for the Burn
Center. Jay Caulk, the head nurse at the Burn Center had a visionary idea of
helping the community, thus the "Burn Education and Prevention Program" was
born.
Truly the best vehicle for giving back to our community and State. The idea of
educating our peers and fellow Oregonians of the hazards of severe burns, the
idea of one individual never becoming a patient because of education, makes all
the work and dollars raised seem very small.
A pristine morning with a perfectly manicured Indain Creek Golf Course...Mt.
Hood to the South and Mt. Adams to the North, so close you could reach out and
touch them both at the same time...old friends and new with a common goal of
supporting the Oregon Burn Center. You now have the beginning of the 2000
Benefit Golf Classic.
136 golfers making new friends with over 50 volunteers attending to every detail
created the perfect day for this charity event. The 2000 Benefit Golf Classic
raised $62,000.00 to support the Burn Education and Prevention Program. Headed
by Jay Caulk through Legacy Emanual Hospital, this Program has rapidly become
nationally recognized throughout the burn community.
Everyone was a winner with Ted Bland, Enron, and his cooking crew that flew in
from Houston to put on a Texan barbecue for the luncheon. A great time was had
by all.
In the last 6 years, The Benefit Golf Classic has raised over $305,000.00 for
the Oregon Burn Center. The 2003 Benefit Golf Classic is under way. As in years
past, the dollars raised will further the work of the "Burn Education and
Prevention Program". We have just begun.
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