By Cathy Markes
Showing their "Pride" plaid style, a record 120 women tee-d up on June 4 at a Detroit area golf course and raised more than $10,000 for two local LGBT charities.
Participating in the 9th Annual Women's Golf OUTing, women from Michigan, Ohio and Ontario, Canada celebrated Pride Month by swinging drivers, making long putts and reaching into their pockets to make contributions to two essential Michigan nonprofits, Equality Michigan and the Ruth Ellis Center. Their registration fees, raffle monies and donations from both local and national companies made this the most financially successful event to date.
In addition to making their financial goals, this group knows how to make great memories.
"I'd like to thank the woman who chose to tee off at the Equality Michigan hole without her shirt," smiled Denise Brogan-Kator, interim executive director of Equality Michigan.
AVALON Bread goods, Starbucks Coffee and CORK Wine Pub's Bloody Mary Bar welcomed the women at morning check-in for their scramble assignments. Back at the after their last putt, every golfer was greeted with a thank you gift. The generosity of many organizations and individuals made this possible, including Chevrolet, Motor City Casino and Hotel, St. John's Golf Course, Between The Lines, SPROUT Eco-watches, Where the Girls R, Comedian and QUAKE football player Jennie McNulty, Michelle Brown, Biofilm, Paragon Green, Michigan Marketing Services MMS, Virginia Hathorne and Wells Fargo, Karmanos Cancer Institute and many other generous donors.
"This outing provides a chance for wonderful women to get together and spend an enjoyable, mostly humorous day on the golf course, while at the same time raising critical funds for the kids of the Ruth Ellis Center and supporting the good work of Equality Michigan," beamed proud Chair Myra Waldman.
"You really need to play this event to truly appreciate it. Everyone has a great time. They come in with grass stains that they can't explain, their sides hurt from laughing at the course games they've set up. It's just a ball!" said event veteran Connie Claybaker.
"Oh yeah," yelled two young women driving off in their cart, "we'll be back for 10!"
The traditional tenth anniversary is celebrated with aluminum or tin. You have to wonder just what kind of plaid that will inspire with next year's round of golfers.
