Fun-Raiser: Just a Year Shy of 40!
If you haven’t purchased a raffle ticket for a chance to win up to $10,000, or you haven’t signed up for any of the sporting events, now is the time! Next week is the Medical Center’s 39th-annual Fun-Raiser with tennis and pickleball on Tuesday and 9- and 18-hole golf on Wednesday. Your participation supports not only the Medical Center in maintaining excellent healthcare, you also are sustaining a 39-year tradition here at Ocean Reef.
The golf event that eventually became today’s Fun-Raiser began in 1983 with one chairman, a few committee helpers and Medical Center staff. They raised $9,084. That first chairman was George Edwards, followed over the next few years by Clare Miller, Barbara Jacobs and John (Johnny) Campbell. By 1989 the event had grown substantially and the decision was made to have two sets of chairpersons, generally husband and wife teams, each chairing for two consecutive years for continuity.
As the Ocean Reef Medical Center Foundation was not yet in existence, the event was then known as the Medical Center at Ocean Reef Annual Golf & Auction Event. In the early years Campbell would personally take the stored sponsor signs out of the Medical Center’s attic (yes, the old building had an attic and a basement), load them up and drive around to the golf courses to place at the holes. This was an all-day task. Tennis was added as a sporting event in the 28th year. Evening festivities were held, weather permitting, on Buccaneer Island with buffet serving stations and bars sponsored and staffed by the real estate companies. The music was always lively and the air was full of anticipation for the grand finale: the golf cart auction.
For virus safety reasons, this year’s Fun-Raiser has been scaled down. However, watch out for 2022 and our Fun-Raiser’s 40th Birthday — where we plan to be back bigger and better than ever! To learn more about this year’s Fun-Raiser or to purchase raffle tickets, visit the Fun-Raiser page.