Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — For high school students the annual Booster Club Golf-A-Thon is a chance to get out of class and spend the day playing golf at the Sheraton with friends.

For organizers Ernie Jenkins and Nancy Kaminski, however, this event is about raising money to help support those same high school kids on the football field, basketball courts or wherever else they choose to compete during the school year.

"Sure this is about having fun," Jenkins said. "But it is also one of our biggest fund-raisers of the year."

Last year, boosters handed out more than $41,000 to high school sports programs.

That money was raised through membership fees, fund-raisers, and concession stand sales.

The Golf-A-Thon raises about $5,000 for the cause.

Jenkins is hoping for a similar turnout this year and hopes to contribute about the same amount of money.

The tournament is limited to 20, four-person teams.

Those teams are made up of one team sponsor (an adult who pays $110 to play) and three high school golfers.

The high school golfers are required to raise at least $60 in donations.

The scramble format tournament will begin with a shotgun start at noon May 20.

The organizers are also looking for hole sponsors to pay $110 to support high school athletics.

"We've had a pretty good response from the business community," Kaminski said. "But we can always use more sponsors."

The Steamboat Medical physicals, which are also taking place this month, also help to fund the Booster Club.

--To reach John F. Russell call 871-4209

or e-mail jrussell@steamboatpilot.com