By Gary Curreri
Like many of the other players in the tournament, Deerfield Beach’s Marilyn Guisti played for a cause and the competition.
“It is very important to support women who are being battered and hopefully this will give them a lot of confidence to do what they have to do,” said Guisti, who was one of 128 golfers in the sold-out field for the 4th annual Women’s Invitational Golf Tournament to Benefit Women In Distress-Broward at Colony West Country Club in Tamarac. “It is very special to be with friends and help women who are being battered.”
Delray Beach’s Tina Ostrowski agreed. After she hit her tee shot into the rough at Colony West Country Club, she looked at her teammates and shrugged her shoulders.
“That was a bad one, but the practice swing was good,” she said with a laugh. “I am a new golfer, so this is only my third tournament, but I am here with dear friends and we are here to support a wonderful cause. It’s great to be a part of it and I look forward to supporting it [for] many years to come.”
Nancy Hersey, Kathy Constantine, Mechelle Brown, and Shauna Federico won Low Gross honors in the tournament with a 63, while Cheryl Johnston, Pat Reid, Lora Hoffman, and Jen Gallaudet captured Low Net honors with a 43.2.
Pompano Beach’s Jan Parke, who chaired the event with Alberta Bove and Penny Eppy, said the fourth annual event has raised more than $37,000 during its history, including a record amount of $16,417.68 this year. That total easily surpassed last year’s previous total of nearly $6,000.
“It’s grown by the number of players and the amount of money we are donating to Women in Distress,” Park said. The Colony West Women’s Golf Group hosted the event. “I feel it is an important tournament. It is a tournament by women to help women and Women in Distress is a really important charity.”
The first year, the tournament drew 84 players and raised a little more than $4,000. The tournament sold out for the second consecutive year with 128 players and has been held at Colony West Country Club all four years.
Parke said men have approached her suggesting a coed tournament.
“We haven’t gotten to that point,” Parke said. “I know there is another tournament in the fall for Women in Distress that is a coed tournament, so ours is a spring, women’s only tournament.”
Parke said one of the things that stood out this year is the support of the community and the sponsors.
She said there were more auction items and drawing prizes. There were awards for low gross and 1-6 for low net. They received gift certificates. The Low Gross and Low Net winners each won a foursome at the course.
Events Coordinator for Women in Distress Eileen Trower said there are 3 to 4 main events and then smaller “third party” events such as the Colony West tournament. There are more than a dozen third party events annually.
“This isn’t considered a main event; however, it is gradually getting closer to that,” Trower said. “The money covers everything…the organization offers [to] the women in the shelter, women in the outreach program…just any of the women, men or children that live in our facilities. It helps in so many ways.”
The shelter consists of 132 beds and there is an outreach program. Both operate at capacity.
“As soon as someone leaves, there is someone else who comes right into the facility,” Trower said. “It is very gratifying to know that there are people out there willing to support the organization. It is just amazing. Just the work that goes into organizing something like this is just incredible and we are so thankful for that.”
“It does bring awareness to domestic violence,” Trower added. “Events like these, the ultimate goal is to stop domestic violence. With everyone doing events like this, the awareness and the monies brought in to help the individuals we serve, will help us end domestic violence for everyone.”
