By Rob Potter
LIVINGSTON MANOR — June 11, 2004 – While ceremonies last Sunday in France marked the 60th anniversary of D-Day, events here in Sullivan County raised money for the brave American men and women who are currently serving in the military in Afghanistan, Iraq and other parts of the world.
After months of preparation, the USA Support the Troops Golf Tournament was held on Sunday afternoon at Grossinger’s “Big G” golf course in Liberty. Twenty foursomes of four golfers each spent a few hours playing the 18-hole Big G course to support our troops.
Then on Sunday evening, those 80 golfers joined about 150 other people at Kings Catering in Livingston Manor for a USA Fund Raiser. For a $10 donation, they enjoyed an evening of food, drinks, raffles and dancing. The owners of Kings Catering – Craig Sherwood and Dave and Erika Barth – donated all of the food for the fund raiser. DJ Jim provided the musical entertainment for the event.
The golf tournament and fund raiser were organized by the Barths, Sherwood and Judy Melchick, who is the head cashier at Peck’s Market in Livingston Manor. Melchick also enlisted the help of her fellow employee owners of the Peck’s Market stores in Callicoon, Eldred, Jeffersonville, Livingston Manor and Narrowsburg for the fund raising effort. In addition, several area businesses and organizations made donations and/or sponsored a hole on the golf course.
Melchick noted that the golf event went very well.
“It was kind of cool and cloudy, but we didn’t have any rain,” she said. “God was watching over us.”
The foursome of Jim Bowers, Ken Cogswell, Don Eisner and Tom Willi won the golf tournament. The team of Frank Godlewski, Mike Larsen, Jason Mitterwager and Bill Von Ahnen captured second place. Brian Lane, Andy McKean, Scott Sparling and Wayne Zanetti took third place.
“It was a very wonderful event,” Melchick said. “Everybody who came seemed to have a really great time.”
Sherwood agreed with Melchick.
“I was very happy with the turnout,” he said. “The support from the community was excellent.”
The 50/50 raffle on Sunday evening at Kings featured a grand prize of $200. The winner of the drawing was Joe Modica, a U.S. Army Recruiter who resides in Livingston Manor. Modica graciously donated the $200 back to the cause, so that the entire $400 raised for the 50/50 went to the troops.
All of the funds raised by the golf tournament and evening at King’s will be given to the USO. Sherwood noted that a few more donations were made earlier this week. As of Wednesday morning, a total of $2,900 had been raised.