$500 to be awarded to the Save Our Schools fund

John Towson and golfing members of the Leo Club stood behind a check for $500 for the Save Our Schools fund, at the conclusion of the second annual Leo Club Spring Scramble Golf Tournament June 8 at San Juan Golf and Country Club.

All told, the tournament raised more than $2,200, “probably more,” said Towson, tournament chairman.

The $500 will help offset a budget shortfall in the school district budget for 2008-09 — a shortfall that threatens the high school golf program. Golf has been targeted for cuts.

The fund-raising nature of the tournament was in keeping with the club’s unofficial slogan: “Help the Needy, Not the Greedy.”

The winning foursome comprised Jordyn Taylor (newly inducted Leo Club president), Bob Wingate, Dick Goff (San Juan Lions Club president) and Rich Rae. They won a two-hole playoff after being tied with runners-up Cody and Jay Price, Steve Billmyer and Jake Phillips.

Members of the two-year-old Leo Club have helped out at the Children’s Festival, the San Juan Historical Museum, Project Firewood, Concourse d’Elegance, Extreme Home Makeover, Santa’s Ship and the San Juan Island Prevention Coalition New Year’s Eve Party — and they have six big events to go.

Guest speaker Ary Hobble, retired officer in the Royal Dutch Air Force and retired airline pilot for KLM, gave a stirring speech about being a toddler when the Nazis leveled Rotterdam. He told of the wonderful efforts and daring sacrifices so many Dutch made to help escaping refugees and hiding those, like Anne Frank, who never made it.

It was a wonderful reminder of how blessed we are, at any age, to be in this land, on this island.

In addition to Leo President Taylor, the following officers were inducted:

William King, first vice president; Megan Cuomo, second vice president; Ryan Guard, treasurer; Brittany Kane, recording secretary; Hana Dubail, public information secretary; and board members Brady Sundberg and Cody Price.