The Richmond Chapter of the Young Professionals Board (YPB) hosted their first annual golf outing on September 27th, marking a return to the fundraising events the YPB has been hosting since its inception in 2017. Sponsors and participants from across the greater Richmond region came together in support of the over 22,000 Special Olympics athletes in Virginia for a day of friendly competition for a cause.
“We are thrilled with the participation in Year 1 of our event,” said YPB President Bryan Wilson. “We have a vision this year of volunteering, returning to play, engaging our networks, and having fun, and I could not think of a better event to encapsulate all of those. I’d like to extend my sincerest thanks to Brian Noonan, Kirsten Joerg, the Fundraising Committee, and the event volunteers, sponsors, and participants. We look forward to seeing everyone at future events and continuing to bolster the success of the Special Olympics of Virginia.”
Richmond Country Club hosted the event, providing an idyllic setting for a day that saw Wilson’s vision for the YPB come to life. Participants, sponsors, and volunteers enjoyed perfect weather as they helped the YPB meet their fundraising goal and spread awareness about the importance of the Special Olympics Virginia.
“You couldn’t have asked for a better day to support a great cause and have some fun doing so,” Rob Zorch, a participant in the event said. “I specifically enjoyed putting with an athlete, which brought the whole event into perspective.”
Zorch was referring to one of the in-round features, Putt with an Athlete, during which Chelsea Gaughran, a member of the YPB and Special Olympics athlete, joined golfers as they putted. The golf outing also featured several competitions, including a hole-in-one challenge, a closest to the pin contest, and a longest drive competition.
The YPB is dedicated to furthering the goals of the Special Olympics of Virginia through advocacy within the greater Richmond region, a commitment to fundraising events, and by establishing a network of like-minded individuals who share the vision of the organization. Since 2017 the YPB has raised more than $130,000 for the athletes of the Special Olympics of Virginia. With plans to host several other events in the coming months, most notably, the Polar Plunge on December 11th at Pocahontas State Park, the YPB is excited for the opportunity to continue to expand fundraising efforts and grow the community of participants.
If you are interested in future Special Olympics events or want to learn more about the YPB, you can subscribe to the “Friends of the YPB” mailing list here or visit the Richmond YPB website.
By Dan McInerney