Article by University of Mount Olive Public Relations Office and Athletic Communications Office.
Mount Olive, N.C. - This year marked the 31st Annual Friendly Mart/Michael Martin Memorial Golf Tournament held in memory of NC Highway Patrolman, Michael Martin, a Mount Olive College alumnus who was killed in the line of duty. The event supports student scholarships and the Trojan Club at the University of Mount Olive.
The tournament which had a total of 204 golfers featured breakfast by Stevens Sausage, a lunch by McCalls Bar-B-Que & Seafood, a silent auction, and giveaways courtesy of many sponsors and supporters.
According to initial reports, this year's tournament proceeds will be around $60,000, bringing the total to over $800,000.
The efforts for the tournament started before the first group teed-off as the Athletics Department lent a helping hand in preparations. The day before the tournament UMO Athletics coaches Justin Potter (Track and Field Assistant Coach ), Earl Graves (Track and Field Assistant Coach), Cornelius Snow (Men's Basketball Assistant Coach), Bryonne Herring (Strength and Conditioning), and the women's soccer team helped load a truck with supplies for the tournament.
The following morning at 6 a.m. the women's volleyball team helped unload the truck while also preparing the individual golf carts for the participants. They also filled goody bags with gifts from local sponsors and hung sponsor signage up around the clubhouse at the golf course.
After the first group of golfers made their way through Dwayne McKay (Director of External Affairs for Athletics), Jeff Eisen (Vice President for Athletics), Chip Spiron (Head Golf Coach), David Hines (Vice President for Academic Affairs), Justin Griffth (Men's Basketball Assistant Coach), and Cornelius Snow assisted in preparing the golf carts for the second round of participants in the afternoon round.
"I appreciate all who helped make this a successful fundraising event. Many of the sponsors that I spoke to enjoyed playing in this tournament and supporting a great cause," said McKay.
Colton Danks, Andrew Moon, Hunter Oxindine, and Logan Sessoms were the first flight winners. Second flight winners were Travis Gavel, Dave Marcotte, Daniel Lilly, and Charles Proctor.
Dr. David L. Poole, UMO President, stated, "This tournament continues to be tremendously popular among golfers, continuously supported by local businesses, and successfully executed. We are deeply grateful to tournament director Neil Price and committee members including Dwayne McKay, Bill Clingan, A. N. Martin, Steve Martin, Dean Rouse, Jimmy Adams and all of the vendors and participants that made this event happen."