The tournament is a benefit for the Lighthouse of Atascadero Program

ATASCADERO — Golfers of all levels headed out to Chalk Mountain Golf Course on Saturday, Oct. 8, for the 9th Annual Wayne Cooper Memorial Golf Tournament. The tournament not only honors the Atascadero Greyhound Foundation’s “President for Life” Wayne Cooper, who passed away in 2018, but it also benefits the Lighthouse of Atascadero Program, which is attached to the Atascadero Greyhound Foundation.

“It was a beautiful Atascadero day. It couldn’t have been better; the weather was just perfect, and the atmosphere was like it always is at this tournament,” said Atascadero Greyhound Foundation Executive Director Donn Clickard. “It’s very positive. Golfers, I guess, are pretty positive people. Even if they’re five under or five over, they’re still pretty positive.” 

The golf tournament sold out, with 140 locals signing up to play in teams of four players each.

“Everybody at the golf course was just awesome. They were really good hosts, and we enjoyed our day,” added Clickard of Jeremy and Joel Clay and the rest of the staff at Chalk Mountain.

On top of the golf that was played, there was also a super successful raffle and a ball drop, where a large basket of golf balls was raised 75 feet up by a crane provided by Sam’s Tree Service. The ball drop took place at 2 p.m., and the closest ball to the pin once dropped won $1,000. Atascadero Mayor Heather Moreno’s husband Mike won the prize.

Martha Staib made an orange and grey quilt, which she donated as a raffle item. Diana Cooper, the wife of the late great Wayne Cooper, won.

“It was really fun. We had a great time,” stated Clickard.

Major Sponsors of the event, who donated $1,000, were Street Side Ale House and Eatery, Wysong Construction, Chalk Mountains Golf Course, and Michael Frederick Paving Corp. There were also cart sponsors who donated $500 a piece. Their names were displayed on the golf carts used at the tournament. Those sponsors were: Angela Cisneros Jewelry Concierge, Avila Traffic Safety, George and Kelly Shoemaker, Mayor Heather Moreno, Platnum Properties, Kinetix P.T., and Bob and Cay Kelly. In addition, around 50 sponsors donated $100 each to sponsor holes during the game. The holes sported signs with their names on them.

“Proceeds come to the Atascadero Greyhound Foundation, benefiting the Lighthouse Programs. So that would primarily, this year, be the mentor program at the Middle School, and there’s actually a program at the Middle School that we also sponsor, and that’s called Where Everybody Belongs. It’s a program of inclusiveness in the Middle School,” Clickard added. “Basically, this year, we’re supporting the Middle School and the Elementary Schools.”

Proceeds will also go to support the Lighthouse After School Programs. Including their coffee roasting program, which was at the tournament selling Lighthouse Coffee. Students from Paloma Creek High School were there manning the coffee trailer and selling the coffee they brew. 

Though final numbers have not been officially tallied, it is estimated that over $20,000 was raised.

“Golfers are very generous people. They bought a lot of raffle tickets and ball drop tickets, and there’s just a lot of community support as usual in these activities,” said Clickard.

To find out more about the Atascadero Greyhound Foundation, go to: atascaderogreyhoundfoundation.org/

To find out more about the Lighthouse of Atascadero Program, go to: lighthouseatascadero.org/