Dear Editor,
Makoto’s Steak House and Japanese Sushi Bar hosted its 5th annual charity golf tournament on Tuesday, September 5, 2018, at Blowing Rock Country Club. The tournament benefitted Blowing Rock CARES, a supplemental food pantry, now housed at Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church. CARES’ mission is to provide nonperishable food to families experiencing food insecurity in Watauga County, especially those in Blowing Rock Elementary School attendance district. Families are helped in other ways as funds permit. The pantry also supports related efforts by other non-profits, such as WeCan, and other pantries in the county when food supplies run low, or main food sources are diverted to areas experiencing a disaster.
CARES is very grateful to Gwen Dhing, owner of Makoto’s, for hosting and organizing the tournament, to the staff at Makoto’s and Gwen’s friends who helped make things happen before and during the tournament, and to Jackie Kirkland who kept the CARES board informed and involved. CARES also thanks Blowing Rock Country Club for making the course and facilities available.
Our sincere thanks also go to the teams of players that came to play despite the weather on tournament day. Their registration fees helped cover tournament expenses, allowing CARES to receive more tournament revenue from other sources. Without their participation there would have been no tournament.
CARES is really indebted to the following individuals and businesses who contributed as donors or sponsors of events during the tournament. The funds raised from hole sponsorships went directly to Blowing Rock CARES to help provide nonperishable food to the families it serves.
Sysco provided the after-tournament dinner and ‘goodie bags’ for players. Jimmy John’s provided lunch for players.
Beverage providers were Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Empire Distributors, Pepsi Bottling Company, and R.H. Barringer Distributing Co. Inc.
Team sponsors included Bella’s Boone and R.H. Barringer Distributing Co. Inc. Corporate Sponsors were Maw’s Produce, Skyline, and Trident Care Rx.
Tournament prizes came from Appalachian Ski Mountain, Best Cellar, Casa Rustica, Echota, Foscoe Rentals, Hound Ears Club, Jefferson Landing, Mountain Aire Golf, Rock Barn Golf and Spa, and the Game Keeper.
Donors were Peggy Theiss and Jimmy Barker, and Heather D. Wright.
Hole sponsors included Adam Hill DDS, Basil’s, Best Cellar, Bistro Roca, Blowing Rock Real Estate, Blowing Rock Town Tavern, Blue Ridge General Dentistry, Blue Ridge Vision, Boone Dermatology, Butch and Gina Triplett, Chetola Resorts, COBO, David Fite, Divine Fitness, Ecocare Grounds Keeping, Farm Bureau, First Citizens Bank, 4 Forty Four, Hamco Foothills, JPS, Lifestore Bank, Lost Province Brewing Company LLC, Mast General Store, Misty Watson CPA, Monkee’s, Norwood’s Appliance, Pedalin Pig Boone Inc., Proper, Reid’s Café and Catering, Rivers Street Ale House, Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church, Stick Boy Bakery, Stick Boy Kitchen, Terry Dale Lentz Construction Inc., Terry M. Wiley and Carolyn R. Wiley, The Village Café, and Wayne Holliday.
From the Blowing Rock CARES Board: (Katie Gurkin, Stephanie Hankins, Tim Harris, Wayne Holliday, Linda Laughter, Teresa Lentz, Carmen Patella, Ray Pickett, and Sylvia Tarleton), its many volunteers, and the families we are privileged to serve