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2009 Golf Classic scored high on fun fore all

Contests, food, fun and a great course made for a spectacular day on the links at the 35^th annual Howell Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Classic. This year’s event was held July 22 at Timber Trace Golf Club in Pinckney with nearly 100 golfers competing in an 18-hole scramble, vying for trophies, prizes and friendly competition.

This year’s outing was packed with choices for golfers with everything from cigars to wine to multiple lunch menus including Buffalo Wild Wings, Jonna's Country Corner Market and Pi's Asian Cuisine, and more. Members have reported rave reviews about the outing and the chamber is already making plans for continued fun next year.

“Our company attends several different golf outings annually in support of our clients and the communities they represent. I have to say that the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Classic is the one event we all look forward to attending each year,” said Jon Booth, Hubbell, Roth & Clark. “All the different games, events, give-aways, prizes and participation from local businesses make this outing fun for everyone who attends. Keep up the good work. We are already looking forward to next year’s outing!”

A highlight of the day was the $Buck$ Putt, a returning favorite to this year’s outing. The contest allowed golfers the chance to sink a putt and have their name entered into a drawing for a $500 gift card, courtesy of Wal-Mart Supercenter. Hundreds of attempts were made and Jim Gilmore, Hartland Insurance Agency, was the winner.

Also back this year was the Know Your Sponsor contest, sponsored by Brighton Glass, giving golfers the opportunity to track sponsors during the day and be entered for a chance to win a prize. Paul Rogers of CommTech Services Group won a Premier Pistons’ Package, including two tickets in the premium seating area to see a Detroit Pistons’ game at the Palace of Auburn Hills, along with team paraphernalia.

The Motown Club Cover contest, sponsored by AT&T, rewarded three teams for consistently sinking a putt in one shot. The three winning teams received tickets to separate country music concerts featuring Big & Rich, Travis Tritt and Randy Travis, respectively. Winners were the First National Bank team, the Liberty Total Home Comfort team and the Champion Chevrolet, Inc. team.

Additional generous prizes helped up the ante for players, including a $500 voucher for airfare in the continental United States from Capital Region International Airport, $553 in 50/50 Raffle, $340 in Skins contest, over $1000 in door prizes, a free phone courtesy of Wireless Zone, free weekend use of a car courtesy of LaFontaine Automotive Group, and more.

Additional sponsors and golf contest results are listed below.

“The golf classic committee, chaired by Rebecca Gari of R. Gari Sign & Display, along with the many volunteers who helped out that day, did an outstanding job with this year’s event,” said Kim Esper, coordinator of the golf outing for the chamber. “The team worked hard to ensure golfers would have the opportunity for more contests, more prizes, more variety and more fun at our event than any other golf outing.”

In addition to Rebecca Gari, Golf Classic committee members are Dave Grant, Liberty Mutual; Nanette McClellan, Brighton Glass; Janine McEvoy, Homewood Suites by Hilton; Linda O’Neill, Advertising Excellence; Jackie Rogers, Tom Rogers and Asphalt Inc.; and Mark Jackson, Timber Trace Golf Club.

Results from the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Classic 2009:

Flight winners

·        Men’s First Place: the First National Bank team: George King, Tim Vandenberg, Steve Vandenberg and Nathan Orange.

·        Men’s Second Place: the Saint Joseph Mercy Woodland Health Center team: Steve Henrie, Dr. Doug Edema, Mike Stoianowski and Walt Byers.

·        Mixed Team: the Costco Wholesale #786 team: Mark Dombrowski, Patrick Mulholland, Amy Mulholland and Dave Wallen.

Contest holes were sponsored by Burkhart Ridge, LaFontaine Automotive Group, Livingston Business Forms & Promotional Products, R. Gari Sign & Display and Wireless Zone.

Contest hole winners

·        Longest drive: Amy Mulholland, Costco Wholesale #786 team and Luigi Spadafor, Tom Rogers Asphalt team.

·        Closest to the pin: Jeff Prince, Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc. team.

·        Closest to the line: Marty Kremke, TCF Bank/Liberty Mutual team.

·        Longest putt: Dr. Doug Edema, Saint Joseph Mercy Woodland Health Center team.

Sponsor recognition

Super Sponsors

·        Hole-in-One contest: Krug Ford Lincoln Mercury, a nearly $12,000 pre-paid lease for a new car

·        Hole-in-One contest: Liberty Mutual, chance to win a trip for two anywhere in the continental United States

·        $Buck$ Putt contest: Wal-Mart Supercenter

·        Motown Club Cover contest: AT&T

·        Cart Start: Costco Wholesale #786

·        Goodie Bags: Champion Chevrolet

·        Lunch: BD Electrical, Inc.

·        Banquet: Datapak Services Corporation

·        Beverage: LOC Federal Credit Union; Howell Care Center; Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc.

Other sponsors and Specialty Sponsors

·        Water: Culligan Water and VG’s Food Center

·        Soft drinks: Pepsi Bottling Group

·        Breakfast goodies: Wal-Mart Supercenter

·        Signage: R. Gari Sign & Display

·        Coffee and Smoothie Station: Maui Wowi

·        Sweet Station: Cakes Especially 4 You

·        Snowcone Station: LOC Federal Credit Union

·        Cigar Station: Smokers Depot

·        Wine Tasting Station: Howell’s MainStreet Winery

·        Airline voucher: Capital Region International Airport

·        Golf program: Livingston County Daily Press & Argus

Hole sponsors

·        3Sixty Interactive

·        BD Electrical, Inc.

·        Backhuus Auto Sales, Inc.

·        Cleary’s Pub

·        Grace & Porta Benefits

·        Highland Engineering, Inc.

·        Huron River Financial, a division of Detroit Edison Credit Union

·        Myers & Myers PLLC

·        SDG Homes

·        TCF Bank

·        Tom Rogers Asphalt, Inc.

Door prizes added to the fun at the outing. A special thanks to contributors:

·        Allstate Insurance – Hochrieter Agency, Inc.

·        Bredernitz, Wagner & Co., P.C.

·        Advertising Excellence

·        Homewood Suites by Hilton

·        Livingston County Treasurer Diane Hardy

·        Pietila Pools

·        Tanger Outlet Center