My “Pay It Forward” day this year was spent combining two of my favorite things, supporting people with disabilities and golf!
One fun fact about me is I am a certified part-time Independent Provider for the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD). An independent provider is a self-employed person who directly provides services to people with developmental disabilities.
I have worked with my buddy Matt since January 2019, and we have participated in a lot of fun activities primarily revolving around our shared love of sports. Over the last few years, we have attended many sporting events in the community including Dayton Dragons, Cincinnati Reds, Wright State basketball games, as well as golfing at various golf courses in the Dayton area. However, this was the first time we participated in a golf outing on the same team.
Regan’s Renegades Golf Outing - Volunteering for a Great Cause
The 4th Annual Regan’s Renegades Golf Outing took place at Walden Ponds Golf Course in Hamilton, Ohio. This annual fundraiser event is hosted by Regan, an amazing 12-year-old girl with down syndrome, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Regan’s Renegades Buddy Walk team. This year, the fundraiser raised $10,500 to benefit the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati! It has been my favorite golf outing to participate in each year but this year was even extra special for me because our team had a new addition, my buddy Matt.
We started the day by arriving at Walden Ponds Golf Course a few hours early to assist Regan, her family, and friends as volunteers. Matt and I were stationed at the check-in registration table and Matt was doing a great job putting a smile on everyone’s faces as he greeted them with his patented smile and fist bump.
Fun Golfing and Raffle Prizes
After finishing up our volunteer duties, it was time to hit the golf course! Our team, rocking our matching light blue golf shirts, consisted of my dad Luke, brothers-in-law Aaron and Michael, Matt, and myself. The tournament format was best ball scramble, which means on every hole, each person hit their tee shot and then everyone played from the “best ball” on each shot moving forward. Our team finished up at -12 total, which ended up being a few shots behind the winning score. More importantly, everyone had a blast and I’ve never seen Matt so happy!
After the golf was over, we enjoyed a delicious buffet-style meal and waited for the raffle prize winners to be announced. There were almost 50 different raffle prizes donated by local businesses and organizations this year. Matt was selected as the “Putter of the Day” award, and he was super excited to receive a prize pack courtesy of the Down Syndrome Association of Great Cincinnati. Matt and I were also the lucky winners of two raffle prizes including a Roosters gift card.
Overall, it was great to support an incredible cause that is so close to my heart. It meant even more to me to be able to spend it with my buddy Matt and my family.
Keep Up with Marketing Essentials
At Marketing Essentials, our team members enjoy giving back to the communities where we live and work. Read more about how we give back to our community
