The Cypress Landing Golf Club is going MAD on April 26.

That’s when the golf club hosts the sixth-annual Military Appreciation Day golf tournament at the Cypress Landing golf course near Chocowinity. The tournament organizers will invite about 100 military personnel from surround military installations — Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, the Marine Corps’ Camp Lejeune, Coast Guard Station Hobucken, area Air and Army National Guard units and others — to participate in the tournament with area residents, business owners and dignitaries to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. Military personnel play at no cost and are treated to food, beverages and prizes.

Last year’s event raised at least $5,075 for the Fisher House at Camp Lejeune.

“For the past 13 years, our military service members have toiled and sacrificed in Iraq, Afghanistan and so many other places. Thousands have made the ultimate sacrifice, and thousands more were wounded. As the conflicts draw down, military forces get smaller and competition within defense budgets get tighter, it is important that we don’t forget the sacrifices our service members and their families have made supporting our nation,” said Dale Fincke, one of the event organizers and an Army veteran.

Fincke makes no secret that the golf club is seeking donations from individuals, business owners, nonprofit groups and others to help pay the expenses associated with providing military personnel and day of golf and related amenities.

“With the economy the way it is and the competition for contribution funds within the Greenville/Washington/Chocowinity business community, the earlier we can provide visibility and promote this worthwhile endeavor, hopefully, the more successful we will be raising contributions,” Fincke said.

After expenses are met, remaining funds go to the Camp Lejeune Fisher House, which supports local “wounded warriors” and their families.

“The Fisher House, inside the Wounded Warrior complex at Camp Lejeune, provides a temporary home, filled with warm, caring people (a home away from home) who help family members endure the stresses associated with a loved one’s serious medical condition admitted for medical care at the Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune. There are no other facilities like this on military installations,” reads an email from the golf club about the Fisher House. “There are now more than 45 Fisher Houses located at major military treatment facilities and VA Medical centers throughout the United States. Fisher Houses do not receive tax money or military dollars. Charitable contributions such as from our CLGC MAD event provide the majority of their funding.”

State Sen. Bill Cook is scheduled to make the opening remarks at the event. Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is providing the color guard. The flagsticks on the greens will have miniature American flags on them.

 

For additional information on the event, contact Dale Fincke at 252-946-6212, 703-628-3856 or by email at dale.fincke@suddenlink.net; or Cypress Landing Golf Club professional Peg Bodie or business manager Brenda Jackson at 252-946-7788.