MUSCATINE, Iowa–In 1999 as a business owner, Tom Hendricks received numerous requests to help out organizations putting on fundraisers. He gave where he could, but found that he could not keep up with all of them. When he learned seven different organizations put on charity golf outings each year, he and several others had the idea to combine them into a single event, bringing Muscatine Charities and their annual Golf “Funraiser” to life. 23 years later, the Golf “Funraiser” continues to help Muscatine Charities support numerous non-profits and provide preschool scholarships. This year’s outing will take place June 23, and organizers hope to raise significant funds to put towards the grants and scholarships they will award this year.
Muscatine Charities will hold their Golf “Funraiser” at Geneva Golf Course & Country Club, located at 3100 Bidwell Road in Muscatine. Thanks to the event’s generous sponsors, players can win a number of prizes including a new car from one of the hole in one contests, as well as a variety of high-quality golf clubs. Registration costs $175 per player and includes both lunch and dinner, a golf cart, and special tee and team prizes. In addition to to golfing, players may also stay for a silent auction, raffles, and a live auction. Because volunteers run Muscatine Charities, all the money raised will go directly to non-profits and scholarships. Anyone wanting to sign up may call 563-262-8894. If you would like to play, Hendricks encourages you to sign up soon, as very few spots remain available. “I think it will be full,” he predicted. “We have filled up, which is a good thing.”
Since incorporating as a non-profit, Muscatine Charities has supported 45 different local groups, donating over $4 million to them in the process. Additionally, Muscatine Charities provides scholarships for families in need to send their children to preschool, helping those children enter kindergarten prepared and have a higher success rate in school overall.
Paired with their annual capital campaign, the Muscatine Charites Golf “Funraiser” represents one of their largest sources of money for the grants and scholarships they give out. Hendricks considers the event one of the most enjoyable ways to support groups that have a positive impact on Muscatine County. “We have fun raising funds for kids, seniors, and handicapped people,” he beamed. This year, Hendricks hopes the golf tournament will bring in $75 to $85 thousand.
Even if you cannot attend this year’s Muscatine Charities Golf “Funraiser,” you may still donate to them at any time. You may bring or mail a check to the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine (104 West Second Street, Muscatine) with Muscatine Charities on the memo line or donate through their website.
Whether you support Muscatine Charities on the green through the Muscatine Charites Golf “Funraiser” or in another way, Hendricks loves seeing how the community comes together to make their mission of helping local organizations possible. “Everyone who lives in Muscatine is Muscatine Charities because they help people out,” he said. “I’m ticked to death because they’re helping so many people in Muscatine that we don’t even know about.”
