Wayne Taylor Memorial Golf tournament draws 19 teams

In the largest turnout in its history, the Wayne Taylor Memorial Golf Tournament avoided the storms to host 57 players in its thirteenth year of existence.

Nineteen, three-person teams filled the course of the Big Lake Country Club in Manila on Tuesday, June 14, for the Wayne Taylor Memorial Golf Tournament. This event raises funds for scholarships to Arkansas Northeastern College for students from the Buffalo Island and Bootheel of Missouri areas. Since its inception in 1998, this tournament has raised almost $60,000 in scholarships.

Mr. Wayne Taylor of Leachville helped create this tournament. He was an ardent supporter of ANC and a long-time member of the ANC Foundation Board of Governors. Mr. Taylor was a past Chairman of the ANC Foundation, and a true friend to the College. Following his death in 2004, the ANC Foundation changed the name of the tournament to honor Mr. Taylor for the commitment he had to offering educational opportunities to people of this area.

"This year's tournament was a great success and we are so appreciative to everyone who offered their support. We are fortunate to have many local businesses and individuals who are willing to donate to this event so that we can raise scholarship money for students living in this area," said Rachel Gifford, ANC Dean for Development.

Gifford noted a special thanks to all the tee-box sponsors, major sponsors, players, and the Big Lake Country Club for supporting the tournament.

"Chapter AC P.E.O. came out and provided a wonderful lunch for the participants even though many of the ladies had no power following the storms we had the day before the tournament," said Gifford who added that he staff at the Big Lake Country Club had done a great joy of cleaning limbs and debris from the course in time for play.

"With so many teams, we needed more carts than what the club has available, so many members were willing to let us use their carts and we greatly appreciate that. We couldn't have done it without them," said Gifford.

The top three teams in each flight took home medals.