Members of District 70 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) in Wichita, Kansas, organized a charity golf tournament to raise funds for Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines (GDA | TLC). The event generated more than $68,000 to support the organization, which trains and raises guide dogs for individuals who are visually impaired. According to GDA | TLC, it costs about $60,000 to train and raise one guide dog.
Thirty-three teams participated in the tournament, playing under rules that encouraged best-ball play and limited scores per hole to par. This format was designed to keep the pace steady throughout the day.
Teressa Peart, Secretary-Treasurer of IAM District 70, commented on the impact of the fundraiser: “To know that what you are doing is helping someone’s life, helping them gain their independence, it is a wonderful feeling for us,” she said. “It’s just an amazing thing”.
Dawson Hart, a military veteran who lost his sight due to an IED explosion during service in Iraq, attended the event with his guide dog Bauer. Hart has benefited from GDA | TLC’s services for ten years and expressed his appreciation by traveling from North Carolina to Kansas for the tournament. “Making donations is fine, but that’s not meeting somebody, that’s not shaking somebody’s hand and saying thank you for saving my life, because that’s what they do,” said Hart. “That’s what these folks right here are doing.”
The popularity of the event led organizers to expand participation beyond initial capacity. IAM Local 774 President Brian Alexander explained: “Within the first couple of weeks of registration for the tournament we were sold out, nothing more was left, but we kept getting calls: ‘Hey can you add my team? How can you say no? So the locals and the district worked with Mattie and her staff at Sand Creek Station Golf Course and we made a way.”
Craig Martin, General Vice President for IAM Southern Territory, highlighted both the charitable aspect and timing of the event: “This is a perfect way to celebrate the Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines 77th birthday,” he said. “District 70 had a lot of events going on simultaneously that weekend with a major ratification vote for Bombardier members, but they still found time to give back to this important charity. Thank you to all who participated”.
The winning team finished with a score of 58—14 under par—for this year’s charity golf outing.
