KENNEWICK -- The 10th Annual Eerkes Memorial Golf Classic for Kids was held this past Saturday at Canyon Lakes Golf Course.
The weekend tournament kicked off with an auction Friday night and raised $149,415 for Tri-City area Boys & Girls Clubs and Young Life organizations.
"I thought it was a wonderful outpouring of support from our community," said tournament founder Chris Eerkes.
Overturf Motors won the gross division, with Vista Veterinary taking second. Lockheed Martin was the top team in the net division, followed by Coca-Cola.
The featured item at the auction was a package trip to play in a top tier pro-am at the Shell Houston Open, scheduled March 28-April 3, 2011. It went for almost $13,000.
The Eerkes Memorial has come a long way in terms of participation and sponsorship since its earliest incarnation, when the tourney generated $700.
The tournament was founded in remembrance of Laura Eerkes, who was an active participant in Young Life and ardent supporter of the Boys & Girls Club.
She died in a car accident at the age of 16, nearly 14 years ago.
Craig Eerkes, Laura's father and tournament advisor, said that there is an active volunteer committee which works 10 months out of the year on the tourney, and that this year's proceeds will be used in part to build upon the Boys & Girls Club's presence in the Tri-City area.
"This last year we were able to open one in Benton City," he said.
He added that an increased visibility and availability of the Boys & Girls Club to area children is not the only targeted goal.
"This memorial enables these two groups to fund their operating expenses for the year," he said.
"And in addition to the expansion (of the Boys & Girls Club), this tournament made it possible for Young Life to send over 300 kids to camp this year."
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