58,693 + 5,750 + 124 + 50 + 28 = 64,645. That’s the number of reasons Doyon Foundation has to be thankful for this year’s Morris Thompson Memorial Golf Classic, held June 13 and 14 at Chena Bend Golf Course in Fairbanks.
A total of $58,693 was raised at the event, which is the Foundation’s largest annual fundraiser. Proceeds from the classic support the Morris Thompson Scholarship Fund, an endowed fund benefitting Alaska Native, higher education students studying business management and leadership. This year’s proceeds were just slightly lower than last year’s total of $59,515.
Funds were also raised for the Foundation’s health competitive scholarship fund, which was established in 2011 with the support of a Rasmuson Foundation matching grant, plus the donations of numerous corporate and individual sponsors. Tanana Chiefs Conference presented a $5,000 donation at this year’s classic and challenged participants to contribute toward it as well. An additional $750 was raised for the health scholarship fund, for a total of $5,750.
The Foundation saw an increase in the number of golfers this year, with 124 players hitting the greens in support of scholarships. The first place team was comprised of Lane Keator, Howard Thies, Gene Carlson and Don Castle. See the full list of winners here.
The Foundation was honored that U.S. Congressman Don Young attended the 2012 golf classic. In addition to playing in the tournament, the honorary event host also spoke at the Calcutta on Thursday evening.
The event would not be possible without the generosity of the 50 sponsors, who contributed everything from significant financial donations to door prizes. A special thank you to this year’s Doctorate Level sponsors, the Doyon Family of Companies, KeyBank and Key Equipment Finance, and Master’s Level sponsor Premier Earthwork. See a full list of sponsors here.
The dedicated group of volunteers was also key to the event’s success; 28 individuals donated their time in support of this year’s classic. View a list of volunteers here. They were honored at a volunteer appreciation lunch on Friday, August 3. More than a dozen door prizes were given out. Volunteer Mariah Pitka went home with 40,000 Alaska Airlines miles donated by Doyon, Limited; Geri Simon won a one-year pass to the University of Alaska Museum of the North; and Lori MacCafferty received an overnight stay at the River’s Edge Resort.
The golf classic, established in 2000, is held in memory of the late Morris Thompson, who served as the president/CEO of Doyon, Limited from 1985 until his passing in 2000. Read more about the classic here.