FEBRUARY 2012
Monarch Beach
SUNRISE ROTARY ON THE CALIFORNIA RIVIERA
MBSR’s 20th Annual Golf Tournament by Neil Burns
MBSR held its 20th annual Children’s Charities Golf Tournament January 23 at the beautiful Coto de Caza Golf Club & Resort. Joining the tournament this year were 18 Marines from the Corps’ most highly decorated 5th Regiment, as well as eight Wounded Warriors. The Marines and Wounded Warriors were sponsored by donations from MBSR’s family of supporters, and provided inspiration to all throughout the day while they drove, chipped, and putted — some using only one arm or one leg to accomplish their mission. In all, 104 golfers competed for awards, all for the benefit of the Marines and many excellent children’s organizations in the community. If there was a disappointment, it was the day’s weather. Despite Orange County’s generally warm and dry January, the 23rd dawned with heavy overcast and threatening skies. Raindrops finally began to fall just as the golfers drove to their assigned holes to start the tournament. The drizzle evolved to a fairly steady — if light — rain, but when paired with a chilling breeze and the occasional cloudburst many participants chose to cut the outing short and repair to the clubhouse to enjoy a hearty Italian lunch and several fine wines. Still and all, many of the hardier golfers completed their rounds, led by the intrepid Marines. One Rotarian reported that as the rain fell and the wind chilled, his group began to moan and whine until they noticed a Wounded Warrior on an adjoining fairway playing in tee shirt and shorts and swinging his club with one arm. It put everything in perspective, and they happily completed their round. The morning’s winners included Rotarians John Coffman and Martha Hoffmann whose teams won the Open and Women’s divisions respectively, and former member Randy Jones whose team won the Mixed division. The big winners, however, were Sharon and Dean Baltzell, whose teams quit four holes in and stayed warm and dry in the clubhouse drinking wine until others arrived. Committee chairs Rod Eide and Neil Burns offered thanks to all the participants and the Golf Committee for the tournament’s success, and offered particular thanks and congratulations to the honored Marines and Wounded Warriors. The final tally showed the tournament raising $16,000 for MBSR’s favorite organizations. M B S R M E E T S O N W E D N E S D A Y M O R N I N G S A T 7 A M A T T H E R I T Z - C A R L T O N L A G U N A N I G U E L • W W W . M O N A R C H B E A C H R O T A R Y.C O M