Golfers drive, but not into new Buick
A shiny new Buick Solstice convertible sat on the seventh hole at Palatine Hills Golf Club. With the car in their sightline, guests at the Palatine Lions Club outing tried to land a hole in one, to win the 2008 model.
After more than 25 foursomes, no one won the sporty roadster, donated by Tim Holloway and Marquardt of Barrington officials, but they all came away from last week's event feeling like winners.
Supporters came out to raise money for the club's largest project: providing free eye exams and glasses to nearly 100 local children, most of whom attend Palatine Township Elementary District 15 schools.
"We really push this event, because we know how much these kids are depending on us," says Paul Pioch of Algonquin, who co-chaired the golf outing with Everett Charlier of Palatine.
More than 100 golfers took part in the scramble event, now in its 21st year at the course run by the Palatine Park District. Most were businessmen who came from throughout the Chicago metropolitan area to support the cause.
While Bob Kinder of Chicago and his foursome won the event, Inverness attorney Jim Messineo and his group tied for second. Lions Club member, Janice Dubell, a vice president at Cornerstone National Bank in Palatine, won honors for longest drive for women, while Rolling Meadows chiropractor, Paul Castle, was among those to win closest to the pin.
Among the golfers were Illinois State Sen. Matt Murphy and Palatine Township Collector Bob Dix.
They began the day with a continental breakfast, before warming up at the driving range and polishing their short game, in a putting contest.
For the tournament, golfers spread out to different holes for the shotgun start, and along the way, they rotated through hole No. 7 to take their chances on winning the new car.
The outing wrapped up at the clubhouse pavilion, where supporters relaxed over a steak lunch cookout.
Currently, the Palatine Lions Club has nearly 40 members, whose major outreach program is to serve the vision and hearing impaired residents in the community.
For more information, visit their Web site, at: www.palatinelions.org.