Golf Tournament Champions Student Scholarships
By Joy Stump
Community Relations Coordinator
The Southside Opportunity Fund held its’ summer golf tournament at the Lake Chesdin Golf Club in Chesterfield June 30, raising funds to support scholarships for high school graduates across Southside Electric Cooperative’s 18 counties.
After having to cancel the tournament the last two years due to the pandemic, golfers were eager to come back and enjoy a day of friendly competition on the greens. Twenty teams played the captain’s choice tournament on the well-manicured course on a hot, but beautiful, day.
With a round as hot as the day, the foursome of Jeff Edwards, Kyle Edwards, Brian Mosier and Christian Mosier shot a 15-under-par 57 to take first-place honors.
This tournament is one way the Southside Opportunity Fund raises money for scholarships for students who are extending their educations after high school at a college, university or technical or trade school. Since the scholarship program started in 2016, 141 scholarships totaling $163,000 have been awarded. That includes 27 scholarships totaling $33,000 this spring. Additional donations have been made for future lineworkers going to Southside Virginia Community College’s Power Line Worker Training School in Blackstone, including $3,000 approved by the scholarship board this year.
This year’s tournament raised just shy of $18,000. Thirty-seven generous sponsors supported the tournament, making the event an enormous success. From donations to hole sponsorships to providing items for the swag bags and raffle prizes, every contribution was appreciated.
An additional thank you goes out to the Eagle ($2,000) and Birdie ($1,000) sponsors. Okonite was an Eagle sponsor, and Altec Industries, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, CowanGates, Kiewit Power Delivery, Penske and Aerial Solutions were Birdie sponsors.
“The Cooperative and the Southside Opportunity Fund so appreciate the tremendous support provided for this year’s tournament,” says Lloyd Lenhart, SEC’s director of community relations. “The money raised will help outstanding students across our service area continue their educations as they prepare for successful futures.”
The scholarship fund is already planning for its spring 2023 tournament, so please keep an eye on sof.coop for more information.
On Friday, Oct. 7, the Southside Opportunity Fund Skeet & Trap Classic will be held at the Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center in Appomattox. Like the golf tournament, the shoot is a fundraiser for the scholarship fund. More information is available at sof.coop and by contacting Mark Thomas, senior community relations coordinator, at 434-645-3276 or mark.thomas@sec.coop.