Golf Members’ Council continues fundraising for scholarship awards

(July 28, 2020)  The Ocean Pines Golf Members’ Council (OPGMC) continues its fundraising efforts for its annual scholarships, despite having to cancel its signature event, the Ocean Pines/Taylor Bank Scramble scheduled for July, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event, last year, raised $11,000 for scholarships for local high school students.    

Instead, OPGMC Scholarship Committee Chairman Bob Long said much of the money received this year has come from small donations from Ocean Pines golf groups.  

Long credited Scotty Wheatley, chairman of the annual golf tournament, with helping to raise a record amount last year. The organization awarded scholarships of $4,000 in 2017, $5,000 in 2018 and $7,000 in 2019.   

“In early March, Scotty was full of optimism about our 2021 fund and was hoping we would again have a big increase. A week later, we all were under some form of quarantine and that optimism faded,” Long said.    

This year, Long said the OPGMC decided to award $6,000 in scholarships to five graduating students, representing about half of the scholarship fund balance. “The remaining money would remain in the fund to insure we had something to award in 2021,” he said.    

After canceling the golf tournament, Long said the Scholarship Committee began looking for new ways to raise money.    

“Our members have been very supportive and generous. Things are not looking as bleak as they did a couple of months ago,” Long said. To date this year, he said the Members’ Council has raised $6,600.   

“We are still short of the $10,000-plus goal Scotty was working on, but we can feel good about what we have done up to this point, given the current circumstances,” he continued. “This $6,600 has come from a variety of sources, including members of the Ocean Pines Men's Golf Association and of the Ocean Pines Ladies' Golf Association contributing a few dollars every week when they play.”  

Long said other funds have included $550 in individual donations, $2,000 from Taylor Bank for their title sponsorship, and $500 from Deeley Insurance Group who has been a Gold Level sponsor the past two years. 

“Going forward, we will also be selling tee box signs that will be on display at the OPMGA Senior Championship in August,” Long said. “Thank you to everyone who has chipped in a few bucks during our weekly play. Our Ocean Pines Golf members are doing good things, and we should all be proud of what we have done and will do.”   

For information about the Ocean Pines Golf Members’ Council or to make a donation, contact Long at [email protected].