Putts for Paws raises $10,000 for Heartland Canines for Veterans
CARTHAGE, Mo. — More than 60 golfers and other supporters came to the Carthage Municipal Golf Course on Friday to raise money and support Heartland Canines for Veterans through the Putts for Paws charity golf scramble.
Jimmy Burgess, executive director of Heartland Canines for Veterans, said this was the group's first fundraiser of this type. On Monday, Burgess said the event raised $10,000 to help train and provide support dogs for those who need them.
'It was a wonderful event. It went well,' Burgess said. 'We were very happy with how it went.'
On Saturday, Burgess said he and his friends and staff had been talking about holding a golf scramble as a fundraiser for years.
'This is definitely not an experiment, it's something we've talked about for years,' Burgess said. 'My dad works with us too, and he was a banker for 35 years, so he did his fair share of golf tournaments as well, so we always considered this. We finally decided it's our 10th year and now is the time to really start getting more active and get out there and let people see our teams all in one place.'
The tournament featured at least 20 teams of three golfers each. The event had three different hole-in-one competitions and a number of other contests to spice up the day.
Around the golf course were several other 'teams' — veterans and service dogs to show participants what they were playing for.
Jeremy Rosencranz, from Bentonville, Arkansas, was there with his partner, a doberman named Nova, to thank supporters and show them what the money goes to do.
'When I was looking for a service dog privately, I was seeing costs between $25,000 and $65,000,' Rosencranz said. 'And most vets can't afford that. Most people can't afford a $20,000 dog. The training takes about a year; it's a lot of work that goes into it. I found them (Heartland Canines), and the only thing they ask is if they have an event like this that we show up and support the organization, which I'm more than willing to do. It lets us hang out with other veterans. It's usually a good time and it's good for us as people who suffer from PTSD, veterans and first responders.'
Burgess said he plays at the Carthage Golf Course with his dad routinely so that's why he chose to have the first Paws for Pets scramble there.
'I'm from a family of golfers so we wanted to make sure it was a golfer-friendly tournament where we could really showcase the service dogs and the sponsors we have out here,' Burgess said. 'That all came together today. The Carthage Golf Course has been phenomenal working with us.'
People who want more information about Heartland Canines can visit https://heartlandk9s.org or watch the group's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/heartlandk9s.
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