(For a photo album of the day’s events, please click here.)
By Bob Gatty
The 2nd Annual Dick Elliott Memorial Golf Outing, held Saturday, June 29 at Legends Golf Resort in Myrtle Beach, was, by all accounts, a great success.
“It was a spectacular event,” said HCDP Chair Don Kohn. “There was unanimous feedback that choosing the Legends course was a real plus. Every golfer received a door prize and the five hole-in-one competitions made the day even more fun.”
Ten percent of net profits will be contributed to the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center in Little River, which also benefited from a special drawing that provided one golfer a chance to shoot for $1 million.
Brian Madden of Myrtle Beach won that chance, but unfortunately didn’t quite make it. “I just wanted to help the vets,” he said.
“Special thanks to Anderson Insurance, Larry O’Donohue, and Elliott Realty & Eagle Nest Golf Club and Rick Elliott for their support,” Kohn said. “I also want to thank all of our volunteers; we couldn’t do it without you! Appreciation to Barbara Eisenhardt, Cathy Tourloukis, Davey Jones, and Barbara Hake for their leadership.”
The five hole-in-one opportunities, sponsored by Anderson Insurance, Little River, included a chance to win either a new Escalade or Corvette from Myrtle Beach Chevrolet Cadillac and other valuable prizes, as well as the $1 million shot, which required a special, direct donation to the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center.
“We greatly appreciate all of this,” said the Center’s director, Ron Wilson. “It’s events like this that helps fund our program.”
Honoring Sen. Elliott
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans honored the memory of Sen. Dick Elliott, for whom the golf outing was named, as Ryan Waters, director of business development presented Elliott’s son, Rick, and his widow, Ann, with a framed Pelicans jersey with the number 30 to represent the 30 years Elliott spent serving Horry County in Columbia without missing a day.
Rick Elliott said his father was extremely proud of that fact and noted that he was so highly respected that Republicans tried to convince him to switch parties. “No, I’m going to ride my donkey into the sunset,” he told the GOP, according to Rick. “And that’s what he did.”
HCDP Chair Don Kohn lauded the late senator and noted that even Republicans ran a campaign ad urging his election.
“We need more of that today,” he said.
Recapping the Day
Tom Goodwin, who with Neal Gilbert and Rob McPherson traveled from Brunswick County, NC, to support the event said his team had a great time. “I was impressed with the course”, he said, “but most of all we just wanted to support Democrats in Horry County. We’ve got to hang together, or we most certainly will hang separately.”
The Brunswick County Democratic Party will hold a tournament Aug. 25 at Sandpiper Bay. Please return the favor and support that event. For more information, please email Goodwin.
Davey Jones, of Market Common, said he brought a foursome from his neighborhood and they had a terrific time. “I recently moved here, and I want to help Democrats get more votes, simple as that,” he said. “We’ve got to combat the current president and see if we can do a better job of deflecting this guy.”
Even some Horry County Republicans supported the event.
“We’re not Democrats, but Sen. Elliott was a good guy,” said Nick Camera, of Little River, “This was a chance to play a good golf course with some good friends. It was a good day.”
Camera, and his friend, Lon Pike, are with the Little River VFW, which helped start the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center in Little River. “So, we also wanted to support that,” he said.
Ernest Carson said he came to support HCDP, and looking at his friends, Mike Fitzgerald and Porcia Stewart, he grinned, “They came because they had no choice.”
Golf committee chair Barbara Eisenhart was effusive in expressing appreciation to all those who participated, who sponsored events, provided prizes, and her committee members who helped make the event possible.
“It was an incredible effort,” she said.
