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March 29th, 2024

2021 shop with a cop golf tournament flyerELLY GRIMM • Leader & Times

 

For those looking for a trip to the golf course and a chance to support a great cause, Willow Tree Golf Course and the Liberal Police Department have just that opportunity coming up. 

The 2021 Shop With A Cop golf tournament will be Saturday, Aug. 7 at Willow Tree Golf Course, with tee-off at 9 a.m. Proceeds from the tournament will go toward the LPD Shop With A Cop program. To register, people can call the golf course at (620) 626-0175.

“This golf tournament is something we host every year, and it's a fundraiser for our Shop With A Cop program, and the funds we raise go toward the Christmas presents that will be bought for kids as part of that, and that will be happening in December,” Community Service Office Susan Neal said. “We've got some great sponsors for this year's event, and they'll be represented at certain holes on the course. Foss Ford will have some great hole-in-one prizes, with the big one being a vehicle. Prizes also include one year's worth of steaks, a $500 Mastercard, and a set of Callaway tires, among many other prizes. This year’s tournament is a four-person scramble.”

“It's a great tournament, and it's for a great cause. There are a lot of other giveaways that will be happening throughout that day, and there will also be prizes for longest drive, longest putt, things like that,” Willow Tree Manager Chris Ewalt said. “The Koehn Law Firm will be sponsoring lunch that day, and that will be from Lanning Bros. Barbeque. Madden Oil will also be sponsoring all the carts, so there won't be any cart fees, and there will also be mulligans available. We're still looking for teams, teams are welcome to sign up. It's a great cause, and it's only $65 per person for a four-person scramble, and you get a free lunch. It's a lot of fun for a great cause, and we need people to step up and be part of this year's tournament.”

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Both Neal and Ewalt said they enjoy seeing the results of the golf tournament each year. 

“It's great seeing all the good that goes toward the kids who are less fortunate, it's good to see a bunch of good people helping out with a cause like this,” Ewalt said. “Everyone's itching to get back out and golfers are ready to get back on the course and some sense of normal. This is a great to get out in the fresh air and also get some sun.” 

“And this is actually my first year, so I'm excited to see how everything will go. We've got some amazing sponsors for the tournament, and I'd really like to see a lot of teams participating this year,” Neal said. “I'm really happy about being able to have the tournament this year after COVID-19 canceled so many events last year, I think everyone's ready to be out and about again, especially with it being summer.”

Neal said with this being her first year helping with the golf tournament, she has high expectations and hopes to see a lot of teams on the course. 

“With this being my first year, I'm really excited about having this tournament, and it'll be great seeing people out and about on the course again since so many places have been closed because of COVID-19 and everything else,” Neal said. “This is also great advertising for the sponsoring businesses, and it's just really fun. As far as a fundraising goal, whatever we raise is what gets raised, there's not really a set goal. Whatever we raise will be spent on presents for kids through the program – last year, I believe, we actually raised enough to also buy out the Angel Tree from the City of Liberal and buy all those gifts too, which was awesome.”

“Absolutely, everyone comes out and has a good time, for sure. I think it'll do really well this year,” Ewalt agreed. 

Neal also went into more detail about the Shop With A Cop program. 

“The police department has been doing Shop With A Cop for several years now, and we put out to the school and foster care agencies for suggestions of children who might be in need and what toys they might like,” Neal said. “And a lot of times, the kids will actually go with the cop to do the gift shopping in person, which is always really fun.”

Overall, Neal and Ewalt agreed, there is a lot of excitement surrounding this year’s event. 

“It's also really cool seeing the community come out for a good cause that really matters to a lot of people, it's always great to see that,” Neal said. “And if anyone wants to show their support for the program, they can get ahold of me at the police department at (620) 626-0517 and let us know they want to make a donation or something like that, and we'll get all of that taken care of. There will be mulligans available, which I know matters to a lot of golfers.”

“I'm really excited about all the prizes Foss Ford will be giving out, they're all really amazing, and so are the rest of the door prizes that will be given out,” Ewalt said. “Anyone who wants to sign up, they would just need to give me a call out at the golf course at (620) 626-0175 and let me know they're putting a team together, and they also need to let us know if they'll need one of our carts or if they'll be bringing their personal cart, because we'll only have 25 carts available that day here. I can't wait to see everyone come out and play some good golf for a very good cause that will help a lot of kids in town.”