When planning its centennial celebration, Meadowbrook Country Club decided to raise funds for worthy organizations.
When planning its centennial celebration, Meadowbrook Country Club in Northville, Mich., decided to take a charitable approach. Inspired by the club’s own history of charitable giving (the club is ranked in the top 10 nationally for its participation in the Evans Scholarship program, which provides college scholarships to golf caddies), the Board unanimously decided to raise funds for worthy organizations.
In June, the club kicked off a drive among its members to raise $100,000 to distribute among four charities: CATCH, a children’s charity founded by the late Detroit Tigers manager Sparky Anderson; Bridgepointe, whose mission is to bring together kids from Detroit and the suburbs to provide enrichment and educational opportunities; Angela Hospice; and Main Street League, a volunteer organization of women that provides time, talent and financial resources for those in need.
“No one is being pressured to give and everyone is taking great pride in this initiative as a positive way to celebrate our 100th anniversary,” said General Manager Joseph Marini when the fund drive began. “The goal is to award four $25,000 checks to our charities at a party in August. A donation booth has been set up inside the clubhouse for contributions.”
The membership showed its generosity, ultimately raising $147,000 through voluntary donations with “no pressure, no chits, no raffles, no pleas,” the club reported, even in a year when the golf course is closed for a $5.3 million renovation.
“There were initially reservations about closing the golf course in our centennial year,” says club President Joe Vig. “However, 74% of the members voted in favor of the renovation, only a year after we completed a renovation of the clubhouse. Amazingly, we achieved full membership during the renovation, in all membership categories.”
The party on August 13 welcomed 380 members and guests and quickly sold out. The club’s Centennial Dining Room was transformed into a “Walk Down Memory Lane,” exhibiting items from the past 100 years with a black-and-white theme. A sit-down dinner in a tent followed a round of strolling appetizers as a band played, and after the charities received their commemorative checks, which ranged from $34,800 to $39,000, a surprise fireworks show began.
“It was our hope that other clubs that are or will turn 100 years old in the near future will follow suit, making the world a better place and furthering the game of golf,” says Susan Zalupski, Centennial Committee Co-Chairperson.
The party, described by Zalupski as a “smashing success,” did result in one repeated complaint.
“The only complaint we have heard, and we have heard it ten times now, is that the night went too fast,” adds Zalupski. “With our golf course being renovated, our members were hungry for an event to get together and re-establish our camaraderie built upon 100 years of playing golf.”
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