By C. Campbell, Staff Writer

cody@southerntorch.com

FLAT ROCK, Ala. — On Sunday, September 25, the DeKalb Shrine Club will be holding its annual golf tournament at Dogwood Hills Golf Course near Flat Rock. “We’ve been having this tournament for around 28 years now,” explained Gerald Smith, a member of the DeKalb Shrine Club.

According to Shrine Club member Clarence Thornberry, the money raised through the golf tournament goes towards the charities the Shrine assists with.

“Some of it, we use to pay for upkeep on the Shrine van, which we use to take kids up to Chattanooga, where they meet another Shrine van that transports them to the various Shriners hospitals, Thornberry said. “We also send some of it up to the Alhambra Shrine in Chattanooga (most of the members of the DeKalb Shrine Club are members of Alhambra Shrine), which they use as they see fit.”

While some of the money raised comes from the registration fees, a great deal also comes from sponsorships.

“Businesses can buy a hole sponsorship from between $100 and $500, which puts a sign up at the hole for them. They can also buy a cart sponsorship, putting a sign up on the carts for $25 a side,” Smith explained.

In addition, “We’ve had cash donations from several of the participants in the past,” said Thornberry.

Both Smith and Thornberry mentioned how the members have gotten positive feedback about the tournament.

“We get a lot of good feedback from participants, including from the Shrine in Chattanooga. Several of the members from Chattanooga come down each year, including the Divans (Divans are a Shrine’s top five officers),” Thornberry said.

“The Shrine loves it, since it brings in a good amount of money to be used for charitable matters,” Smith added.

The registration fee for the DeKalb Shrine Club golf tournament is $50 per player, or $200 for a team of four, though all competitors will be in four-member teams. This cost includes green fees, as well as the food and drinks provided for those playing.

Tee-off will be at 1 PM on Sunday the 25th, with trophies being awarded to the top three teams. “We welcome anyone to participate. They can call ahead of time, or they can register on the day of the tournament,” Smith said.

For more information about the Shrine Club golf tournament, contact either Dogwood Hills Golf Course at (256)632-3634 or Gerald Smith at (256) 996-6667.