Mike and Sassy Smith led the effort to launch what turned out to be a hugely successful Pro-Am Golf and Croquet Tournament at the Riomar Country Club last Monday to benefit the Senior Resource Association. Even the weather cooperated; a deluge holding off until the last players began the final hole.
“We’ve done this format about 15 times in Johnstown, Pennsylvania,” explained Mike Smith. “We just took that model and transferred it to Vero Beach. Everybody was terrific. This is a very philanthropic community and people just don’t say no.”
Smith has an affinity with the organization through his father, noting, “My dad was a Meals on Wheels delivery man; one of the ground troops. He just thought the world of it.”
“Mike and Sassy came to us and said they wanted to put this whole thing together for us,” said Karen Deigl, SRA President/CEO, of the year-long effort. “I can’t thank them enough.”
“We’ve tried to give some really good gifts and we gave each golfer a putter,” said Smith. “Our philosophy has always been, if you just go to one golf tournament a year, pick this one.”
The multifaceted event began with lunch for the players and ended with an outstanding fillet mignon and stuffed prawn dinner for 150 guests. Roughly 22 foursomes were each teamed with a PGA pro, about one-third who had flown in from out of town. The impressive lineup included Adam Rainaud, Assistant Pro at Black Hall Club in Old Lyme, CT, who on Feb. 12 won his second consecutive PGA Winter Championship Series.
Fourteen golf croquet players, all in de rigueur white attire, battled it out on Riomar’s lovely new croquet course.
“It’s not really related to golf at all,” said Don Buebendorf, who won the tournament with wife Nancy. She did note one similarity though, adding, “If you’re a good putter, you’ll be good with croquet. Same principal; keep your head down!”
“I heard you all had a lot of fun, but it was also for such a great cause,” said Deigl, introducing SRA Board Chairman Dawn Michael who spoke briefly as guests sat for dinner.
Five days a week, SRA Meals on Wheels volunteers provide hot, nourishing meals, socialization and, in the process, a daily wellness check to homebound seniors. Last year more than 1,100 meals were delivered every week at a cost of $6 per senior ($2,200 per year). They also delivered 5,626 Emergency Meals on Wheels to seniors within 30 days of being discharged from healthcare facilities, and 32,256 Social Congregate Meals to mobile seniors at multiple locations throughout the county.
“The primary goal of our programs and services is to enable seniors to remain healthy and in their own homes for as long as possible,” said Michael. “It’s often the difference between having dignity and being in total despair; the difference between aging and aging well. Many seniors now find themselves totally alone; the Senior Resource Association is there for them.”
To raise funds and hopefully provide a lifeline to some of the 106 adults on their waitlist, there was a live auction of 18 exceptional items.
There was also an Adopt a Senior paddle-raise that alone brought in enough pledges to feed 26 seniors for one year.
“We are making a tremendous impact on the seniors in Indian River County,” said Michael, who also mentioned some of their other services, including the only two Adult Day Care facilities in the county – one each in Vero Beach and Sebastian – licensed by the state.
