Landmark College 2014 Golf Tournament raises $15,000 for scholarships
by Solvegi Shmulsky
BRATTLEBORO, Vt. - On Friday the 13th, 75 golfers tempted fate and braved the rain to attend the eighth annual Landmark College Golf Classic at the Brattleboro County Club. The annual tournament, held this year on Friday, June 13, raises scholarship funds for students, and the amount raised this year was $15,000. In total, the Golf Classic has contributed nearly $100,000 to scholarships since it began in 2007.
Golfers of all skill levels come out to enjoy the game and raise funds that directly help students reach their educational goals at Landmark College. This year, members of the College community, the public, and representatives from local businesses attended the Golf Classic. During lunch, Dr. Peter Eden, College president, and Chelsea Gwyther, vice president for institutional advancement, talked about growth at the institution. They highlighted the new Science, Technology, & Innovation Center, to be built starting in August, and they shared news of a recent gift to expand the undergraduate business program.
How does the Golf Classic come together each year? Mark Higgins, Landmark College controller, is the visionary and the glue for the annual tournament, planning throughout the year to organize the event.
“I want to help Landmark College bolster its fundraising and friend-raising activities,” Higgins explained when asked why he volunteers his time each year for the tournament. In addition to enlisting golfers and sponsors, Higgins recruited 19 volunteers to work on tournament day and 12 donors to create “gift baskets” that are awarded as prizes. Gift basket themes included Italian Delights, the Couch Potato Basket, A Taste of Vermont, and Fore the Birdies.
In addition to the efforts of Higgins and many volunteers, the Golf Classic owes its success to the charitable support of sponsors. In 2014, marketing group R.C. Brayshaw & Company of Warner, N.H., sponsored the event, and lunch was provided by Chartwells, BreadLoaf Corp., The Richards Group, Interstate Electric, and Aerie Consulting. Beverages were donated by Leader Distribution Systems and g. housen. Twenty-two individuals or businesses sponsored a hole, and there were eight additional major contributors to the tournament.
The next Landmark College Golf Classic—a day to have fun and contribute to scholarship—will be held in June 2015. If you would like to sponsor next year’s event, please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at [email protected] or call (802) 387-6734.
Landmark College was the first institution of higher learning to pioneer college-level studies for students with dyslexia. Today, Landmark College is a global leader in integrated teaching methods for students with learning disabilities (including dyslexia), ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The College offers two and four-year degree options, a graduate-level certificate in universal design with technology integration, and summer programs for students who learn differently. Students, faculty, and professionals from around the world are drawn to Landmark College for its innovative educational model, designed through research and practice to help all students become confident, empowered, and independently successful learners.