No doubt a cliché, but a good time was had by all.
“That’s what I heard several times, that the people who were out here just had a really good time and liked how relaxed and easy-going everything was, and also that it went smooth and was just a fun time,” said Justin Hadden, chairman for the 2023-24 Leadership Putnam (LP) class.
He was describing the inaugural Leadership Putnam Charity Golf Tournament, held last Saturday at Eatonton’s historic Uncle Remus Golf Course (URGC).
Ten foursomes took part, some made up of just four golfing buddies and others sponsored by employers, but all enjoyed their two times around the nine-hole course.
At Thanksgiving, the LP class secured donations to purchase dozens of turkeys and worked with Putnam Christian Outreach to provide them free to needy families.
During Christmas time, Leadership Putnam members accepted donations from local businesses and individuals to purchase and distribute gift cards to families needing to buy new toys and clothes for kids.
Funds raised through the golf tournament will be used to provide a free Easter Egg Hunt, complete with bouncy houses, face painting, and games for all Putnam County children, to be held Saturday, March 23, again at Uncle Remus Golf Course.
“One of the things that I think was great about the golf tournament was that it wasn’t just about raising money by getting teams to play, but we went out into the community and shared with them that if you sponsor this golf tournament, we will take that sponsorship and we will apply it to the free egg hunt for the community,” said Hadden, a realtor at Fickling Lake Country in Milledgeville.
The message obviously resonated, as approximately $11,000 was raised by Leadership Putnam through the golf tournament, of which about $6,000 remained after all expenses were paid to cover the cost of the upcoming, free Easter egg hunt.
Hadden said there will be at least 2,000 eggs filled with candy hidden throughout the URGC driving range, and children will hunt in age-specific designated areas to ensure all have a fair opportunity to find some Easter eggs.
Additionally, at least two, possibly three different, free bouncy houses will be on-site, plus face painting and expert storytelling by Miss Georgia from the nearby Uncle Remus Museum to keep kids entertained and educated. Multiple food trucks also will be available, selling a variety of treats and meals, and several vendors are expected to set up nearby.
Ideally, Hadden would like to see the golf tournament and Easter egg hunt continue as annual events in Eatonton. He said right now at least, enthusiasm remains high throughout the Leadership Putnam group, and he’s been encouraged by the giving nature of Eatonton’s and Putnam County’s business community.
“I just have faith in this community,” Hadden said. “I’ve seen them do it over and over again with other things. And I believe that if you walk into a business, show them your heart and how you want to help the community, I believe it’s contagious and they’ll want to get on board with it. And that’s what happened.
“People in our group were able to call these businesses and explain what we wanted to do and why and how it benefited them. So, I’m not shocked by it because I just believe that businesses want opportunities to give back. You’ve just got to allow them to do that and that’s what we were doing.”
Leadership Putnam 2023-24 appreciates the support of Glasslined Technologies, Lake Country Cleaning, Lake Country Mechanical, Big Dawgs Softwash & Exterior Solutions, Hutchcroft Homes, Joe’s Roofing, Dreambuilt, J’s Custom AV, Fickling Lake Country, 706 Nutrition, Century Bank & Trust, Eatonton Veterans Thrift Store, Tim Broyles State Farm, Window Wizardz, Cosmo Cabinets, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Central Georgia Technical College, Freedom Construction, Javy’s Roofing, VanDyk Mortgage, Uncle Remus Golf Course, Devereux Crab Shack, RMJ Quality Painting, Smith Communications, E-P Chamber of Commerce, The Peoples Bank, Fritz Family Farms, Mellow Mushroom, ST Real Estate, Eatonton Elks Lodge No. 2549, The Insurance People, and Noles Landscapes.