Friday, August 6, 2010 was a great day of fun at the Iroquois Golf Course as Interlink Counseling Services, Inc. and John Shanchuk, owner of John E’s Restaurant, co-hosted Interlink’s 9th Annual Homeless Veteran Golf Scramble.

The Interlink event team and golf players were relieved to discover that Friday’s weather was in the low to mid nineties with relatively low humidity especially considering the days leading up to the Scramble had sufferable temperatures soaring to nearly 100 degrees with high humidity.

Golf players began arriving at around 7:30 AM to register and were greeted at the entrance with a call to purchase “Golf Drop” (closest to the hole) raffle tickets for a chance to win a new laptop donated in memory of K. D. Trulock. At around 8:30 AM, the “Golf Drop” raffle ticket selling ended, and all of the numbered ping pong balls were mixed in a bucket and hoisted up the ladder of a Louisville Fire Department fire truck. From the top of the ladder, the balls were dropped over one of the putting green holes. Event coordinators, Chris Creighton and John Shanchuk, verified which ball had dropped closest to the hole and called out the lucky number. Pat Myers was the fortunate winner of the Gateway dual-core laptop, and he looked quite happy to be notified of his prize.

While the “Golf Drop” was taking place, a long drive demonstration was given by Long Drive Champion Matt Schulten. Throughout the day, Matt put his talent to use on the tee off for hole 13, the golf course’s longest par 5 hole, by offering the golfers a break (a chance to use his drive and receive a double eagle) and graciously collecting a small donation for his effort. All funds collected by Matt was donated to Interlink.

Immediately following the “Golf Drop,” the golfers jumped in their carts and headed toward their respective starting holes. The scramble was on! Throughout the morning and afternoon, carts whizzed back and forth as the teams teed off and strived to achieve the top score.

Special guests, U of L Coach Denny Crum and Sportscaster Dave Jennings, held their weekly broadcast under the pavilion. Some of the topics they discussed were basketball, sports strategy, and occasionally news from the golf course for the Interlink Counseling Services Annual Homeless Veteran Golf Scramble. Seeing Coach Denny Crum is always a pleasure, and he makes a special effort to attend several of Interlink’s functions throughout the year.

One of the recurring treats the golfers always enjoy is grilled barbeque bologna and sliced onions. As the golfers finish hole 18, they pose near the pavilion for a team photo. Afterward, they rush into the pavilion for a cold drink and three or four big slices of the bologna and onions. After finishing their snack, the golfers hurry back into their carts and head toward the next hole. For several years, Gene Koch had become affectionately known as the ‘King of Bologna’. Unfortunately, Gene passed away after last years golf scramble. His successor and the newly crowned ‘King of Bologna’ was Lon Whitfill, a long-time friend of John Shanchuk. A special thanks to Lon for mastering the grill and serving some of the best barbequed bologna that the golfers have had.

Most of the golfers were almost finished by approximately 1:30 PM. When the golfers returned to the pavilion, it had been converted into the golf scrambles’ 19th hole banquet where co-host John Shanchuk brought in a delicious, catered meal from John E’s Restaurant. The golfers ate as John and Interlink event coordinators, Chris Creighton and Richard Waddell, assisted in awarding the ‘Best in Show’ trophies to the team that came in last. The first place winning team received a free round of golf for four individuals at the Wildwood Country Club (donated by Wildwood) along with gift bags containing several goodies (donated by Schardein Mechanical). After prizes were awarded, several great items were auctioned such as a male and female watch set (donated by Kay’s Jewelers). One item auctioned that has always gotten a positive response was a Russian-made, 12-gauge, assault shotgun donated by Homer Van Fleet and Larry Woods of the Russian-American Armory. The recipient of the shotgun was none other than Lon, the ‘King of Bologna’. Other items auctioned included the following: a ten-person, All You Can Eat Wings for One Hour gift certificate (donated by Hooters) and U of L and U of K golf bags, sleeves of balls, and several golf clubs (donated by Isac Roths of First Class Air Support).

Toward the end of the banquet festivities was a drawing for a new set of four tires (donated by Firestone Tires) and a drawing for an extravagant Las Vegas vacation package that included round trip airfare (donated by First Class Air Support), hotel accommodations – two night stay in the penthouse suite at the renowned Venetian Hotel and Casino, two rounds of golf at Bali Hai, and Royal Links Golf Clubs. The hotel and complimentary golfing was generously donated by William T. Walters of Walters Golf in Las Vegas. The package was completed by a day trip to the Grand Canyon, which included the flight and tour (donated by Brad Carucci of Vision Airlines).

Interlink would like to thank Oxmoor Ford for sponsoring the hole 18 hole-in-one prize, a new 2011 Ford Taurus. This feat, unfortunately, no one was able to accomplish. Other door prize and hole sponsors included the following: Labsco, Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken of Corydon Indiana, Exel Transportation, Amvets Post 61, Amvets Post 61 Womens Auxillary, L & J Constructors, Owens Funeral Home, Marine Corp League #729, Volunteers of America, UAW #862, Elks Lodge #8, Joe Myers, Oxmoor Ford, First Class Air Support, York Companies, The Chili Pot, Teamsters 89, Dean’s Milk, 360 Salon & Spa, Quality Audio & Video, Swope Automotive Group,  Representative Larry Clark, Sysco Foods, VWF of Kentucky, Hooters, KY State Fair concert tickets, Midland Trail Golf Course, Oldham Country Golf Course, Full Swing Indoor Golf, Play it Again Sports on Outer Loop, Chick-fil-A, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts on Bardstown Road, BB&T Bank – Okolona Branch, Brown Mackie College, and Resthaven Funeral Home.

With much gratitude an honorable mention goes to Bettye Harmon and Vicki Futrell for  teaming up to sponsor Interlink’s own golf team as well as donating a hole sponsorship.

All in all it was a great day for the golfers and the commencement of our Christmas fund raiser “Adopt-a-Vet”.