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DOWAGIAC — A year’s absence did not hinder the fundraising efforts of the Dowagiac Union Schools Foundation and the Dowagiac Athletic Boosters.

After having to cancel the Chieftain Golf Outing in 2020 due to COVID-19, the event returned to Indian Lake Hills Golf Course in June and raised $44,000, according to Chairman Thomas Carlson.

Even without an outing in 2020, the two groups raised $10,775 through the donations of their donors. Those funds were used to award scholarships to Dowagiac Union High School students this past spring.

“We are just so grateful for the tremendous community support this event receives each year,” Carlson said.

The Chieftain Golf Outing has now raised $549,000 since its debut in 2004. All proceeds from the outing are split equally between the foundation and the booster club.

The Chieftain Golf Outing Committee, which consists of Carlson, Larry Crandall, Terrie Foster, Martha Hassle, Deb Heeter, Dee Herman, John Juroff, Stacy Leversen, Brent Nate and Krista Smith, waited as long as they could before canceling the outing last year. Planning for the 2021 outing started at the beginning of the year, according to Carlson.

“Our committee is intentionally small, but our communication and camaraderie just work hand-in-hand,” he said. “We started in January to begin the planning process and worked hard because we know the students, staff, athletes and coaches will reap the benefits.

We also recognize that there are many others that volunteer their time and talents, often behind the scenes, to make the outing a success.”

Carlson also thanked Indian Lake Hills for their cooperation and assistance in hosting the outing,” he said. “We sincerely appreciate their efforts as well as the assistance of the staff at Indian Lake Hills Golf Course. We certainly could not have pulled off this big of an event without their help.

“We would also like to acknowledge Nick Saltzman and Lincoln Clark for setting up the audio so that band director Shane Oakley and choir director Hunter Schuur could provide the music and voices for everyone to hear. We appreciate the students who came out to get things started.”

The committee also wishes to thank all the sponsors of this year’s outing:

Platinum Sponsors ($2,000 and above)

Janel’s Industries, Four Winds Casino, Southwestern Michigan College, St. Deny’s Foundation and Wolverine Mutual Insurance

 

Gold Sponsors ($1,000)

Andersen Windows & Doors, Deals on Wheels, Don and Carole Hodgman, Dowagiac Family Dentistry, Dynamic Metals, Eckman Chiropractic, File Land Company, Todd and Sharese Franklin, Gatz Construction, GLP & Associates, Hales Hardware, Honor Credit Union, Ibid County Electric, Kraftmaid Cabinetworks, Matthew Cripe DDS, Ruoff Mortgage, Sodexo, Southwest Vision Center, US Business Systems and Wightman Associates

 

Scholarship Sponsors ($500)

Ascension Borgess-Lee Hospital, Berrybrook Enterprises, C. Wimberley, Jody and Larry Crandall, JNKO Management, Scott and Kimberly Lawler, Lyons Industries, Ron and Jan Nate, Nick Fryman Construction and Skillman Corporation

 

Silver Sponsors ($250)

Stephan and Diana Ausra, Terry Ausra Farms, Edward Jones-Kim MacGregor, Edward Lowe Foundation, Enjoyment Image, Hagen Insurance Agency, Imperial Furniture, Jim D’s Body Shop, Kruggel Lawton & Company, KSS Enterprises, Leader Publications, Mahar Insurance, Premier Photography, Sustainable Recycling and Thrall Enterprises

 

Bronze Sponsors ($100)

1st Choice Automotive, Terry Ausra Farms, Booth’s County Florist, Co-Alliance Cooperative, Creative Vinyl, Cressy & Everett-Shelly Myers-Henry, Division Tire, Dowagiac Education Association, Dussel’s Farm Market, Edu-Staff, Edward Jones-John Seculoff, Fryman Recycling, Harding’s Friendly Market, Joe and Martha Hassle, Mark Herman, J&E Lawncare, Larry and Carole Schmidt, Doug and Karen Mosier, MTL Landscaping, Nichols Products, Rohdy’s Heating & Cooling, State Farm Insurance-Greg Osborn, Tyler Automotive and Vylonis Contracting

 

Monetary and Gift Donations

Beeches Golf Club, Bud Distributing, Canfield Farms, Matthew Carlson, Jordan Crandall, Gary Hammerstrom, Hannapel Home Center, Hawkshead Links, Indian Lake Hills GC, Juday Creek, Lake Michigan Hills, McCormick Creek Golf, Orchard Hills and  Point of Woods (sponsored by Wolverine Insurance)