Tee off for Young Life

Williams Young Life to host

Organizers are hoping for a big turn out for this year's first annual Williams Young Life Golf Tournament Aug. 4 at Elephant Rocks Golf Course. An entry fee of $115 is required to participate in the event, with funds going toward the Young Life organization, according to tournament organizers.

Young Life, an organization that has been in operation for more than 50 years, is a Christian organization dedicated to improving the lives of young people in both middle and high school age groups.

"The Williams Young Life is a non-profit organization that ministers to junior high and high school kids in town. Ministers go into the schools and they build relationships with the kids and they become their friends and mentors. They have club on Monday nights," said Gwen Nenne, Young Life committee member. "It's Christian oriented, so their goal is to introduce Jesus to these kids. All of their funding is by donation. The tournament is set up for that - to provide all the financing that they need for the group."

Funds raised for the event will go toward the organization's single-facilitator salary, as well as toward activities and functions coordinated by the group.

"Most of it goes into the operations of the club and the kids," Nenne said, adding that the organization has grown by leaps and bounds within the last couple of years.

Over 20 young adults have joined Young Life in Williams within the last two weeks alone, Nenne added.

Tournament co-organizer Amy Smiley said the tournament is open to anyone who wants to help the non-profit organization.

"The fundraiser is a golf tournament where we have invited whoever wants to come, people from Williams and Flagstaff and (all over) Arizona," Smiley said. "Flagstaff has done an annual golf tournament over at Elephant Rocks, so this is Williams Young Life's first golf tournament, (its) first annual golf tournament."

She said over 100 participants took part in last year's Flagstaff-hosted event.

A steak lunch will be provided for the event, Smiley said. No prior registration is necessary. Registration begins at 7 a.m. and the tournament is scheduled to conclude at roughly 2 p.m. Smiley added that prizes would also be provided to the top gross and top net teams in the competition.

"Some of the prizes are gift certificates to Red Raven, Campus Coffee Bean in Flagstaff, Quizno's, Cold Stone and the Elephant Rocks Pro Shop, (which are) the big prizes," she said.

Smiley said the purpose of Young Life was to give young people a chance to learn about religion in a no-pressure atmosphere.

"The presence of Young Life is really the hope that kids have a positive place to be, especially in a culture where they may not have a lot of other forums to just be together and not feel like they have to drink or smoke, where they can just get together and have fun," Smiley said.

Nenne added that both sponsors and volunteers are being sought for set up and clean up duties during the tournament.

Individuals and business interested in sponsoring a hole can choose from a variety of different sponsorships, ranging from $50 a tee to the title sponsorship at a cost of $8,000.

For more information, contact organizers Smiley and Offner at (928) 635-2900, (928) 310-8324 or e-mail them at www.moffner@lostcanyon.younglife.org.