Birch Equipment Golf Tourney raises $252,000 for Whatcom Hospice
October 14, 2016
The clouds parted, clearing the way for a fantastic day of record-breaking fundraising for the Birch Equipment Whatcom Hospice Pro-Am Golf Classic. The 10th annual event grossed over $252,000 for Whatcom Hospice, a record for this Golf Classic. Credit goes to a perfect mix of strong business and community support, the fine staff and facility of Bellingham Golf & Country Club, excellent local and regional pros, teams with top golfers in the community and the streamlining of the event by Tournament Director Sarah Rothenbuhler, CEO of Birch Equipment, and Chair Jessie Everson, Director of Employee & Customer Programs, at Birch Equipment.
Rothenbuhler and Everson took over last year, paring the tournament to a one-day event and designing a website and a social media platform with the help of Doug DeVries and Brooke McClary of Big Fresh Media to keep sponsors, teams and pros highlighted and informed.
The web site is also an anchor to the fundraising process where teams can send a link to vendors, friends and family to help their team quickly and efficiently fundraise. Sponsors and Teams select their Pros and the top tier also select prizes including sideline seats at Seahawks games, a Private dinner for 8 in the Hotel Bellwether wine room, Mariners Diamond Club seats, an aerial tour of the San Juan Islands by San Juan Air and more, in order of sponsorship and team dollars earned.
Streamlining the management of the event has allowed for the Sponsors, Teams and Pros to enjoy a top quality event with amazing prizes and gifts including a shot for a new F150 Crew Cab from Diehl Ford and a weekend in a Porsche of their choice from Roger Jobs and ending with a Longest Drive Pro-Am competition at the hosted 19th Hole Celebration including a chance to win a $1,000,000 Hole-In-One.
“It’s important that we all have access to hospice. Death and loss can be so painful for all involved. If friends and family actually have the opportunity to be there for their loved ones in their process of passing; the strong, caring work of hospice staff gives loved ones a better chance to be present and supportive through this inevitable part of life,” says Rothenbuhler. “Jessie and I have enjoyed bringing this event to another level and providing a day of good golf, great networking and prizes for the top businesses and community leaders who are showing up time and again to support not just the Whatcom Hospice program but the health and well-being of our incredible community.”
Sponsors carry this event and were the first to step up and donate to Whatcom Hospice via the Pro-Am: Birch Equipment as Pro Sponsor, Dawson Construction as Eagle Sponsor, Sound Beverage as Birdie sponsor. Other event sponsors include: Mills Electric, Western Refinery Services, VSH Certified Public Accountants and Management Services Northwest. Visit www.whatcomhospiceproam.com/sponsors for a complete list of event sponsors.
Top fundraising teams are also huge contributors and include Team Hayes, Team Hotel Bellwether, Team Holmstrom, Team Esary Roofing & Siding Co. and Team IMCO General Construction. For a complete list of teams in order of their team contribution visit www.whatcomhospiceproam.com/teams.
The event drew pros from Sahalee Country Club, Chambers Bay, Aldarra Golf Club, Eaglemont, Skagit Golf & Country Club, Lake Padden, Semiahmoo, North Bellingham, home course Bellingham Golf & Country Club and more. Visit the Pro-Am website for a bio on each Pro and a link to their home course.
Rothenbuhler and Everson took over last year, paring the tournament to a one-day event and designing a website and a social media platform with the help of Doug DeVries and Brooke McClary of Big Fresh Media to keep sponsors, teams and pros highlighted and informed.
The web site is also an anchor to the fundraising process where teams can send a link to vendors, friends and family to help their team quickly and efficiently fundraise. Sponsors and Teams select their Pros and the top tier also select prizes including sideline seats at Seahawks games, a Private dinner for 8 in the Hotel Bellwether wine room, Mariners Diamond Club seats, an aerial tour of the San Juan Islands by San Juan Air and more, in order of sponsorship and team dollars earned.
Streamlining the management of the event has allowed for the Sponsors, Teams and Pros to enjoy a top quality event with amazing prizes and gifts including a shot for a new F150 Crew Cab from Diehl Ford and a weekend in a Porsche of their choice from Roger Jobs and ending with a Longest Drive Pro-Am competition at the hosted 19th Hole Celebration including a chance to win a $1,000,000 Hole-In-One.
“It’s important that we all have access to hospice. Death and loss can be so painful for all involved. If friends and family actually have the opportunity to be there for their loved ones in their process of passing; the strong, caring work of hospice staff gives loved ones a better chance to be present and supportive through this inevitable part of life,” says Rothenbuhler. “Jessie and I have enjoyed bringing this event to another level and providing a day of good golf, great networking and prizes for the top businesses and community leaders who are showing up time and again to support not just the Whatcom Hospice program but the health and well-being of our incredible community.”
Sponsors carry this event and were the first to step up and donate to Whatcom Hospice via the Pro-Am: Birch Equipment as Pro Sponsor, Dawson Construction as Eagle Sponsor, Sound Beverage as Birdie sponsor. Other event sponsors include: Mills Electric, Western Refinery Services, VSH Certified Public Accountants and Management Services Northwest. Visit www.whatcomhospiceproam.com/sponsors for a complete list of event sponsors.
Top fundraising teams are also huge contributors and include Team Hayes, Team Hotel Bellwether, Team Holmstrom, Team Esary Roofing & Siding Co. and Team IMCO General Construction. For a complete list of teams in order of their team contribution visit www.whatcomhospiceproam.com/teams.
The event drew pros from Sahalee Country Club, Chambers Bay, Aldarra Golf Club, Eaglemont, Skagit Golf & Country Club, Lake Padden, Semiahmoo, North Bellingham, home course Bellingham Golf & Country Club and more. Visit the Pro-Am website for a bio on each Pro and a link to their home course.
