Chip In For Education To Benefit New Tampa Schools

Emerging from a pandemic and a year when most Parent Teacher Associations (PTSAs) had a hard time organizing and hosting fund raisers and, in most cases, weren’t even allowed on campus, the Hunter’s Green Community Association came up with an idea to give a boost to the three schools where the community’s kids are zoned to attend.

For the past 25 years, residents of Hunter’s Green have sent their kids to Hunter’s Green Elementary, Benito Middle School and Wharton High.

This Labor Day, on Monday, September 6, those three schools will benefit from the “Chip In For Education” golf tournament at Hunter’s Green Country Club.

“There are a lot more students at these schools than just Hunter’s Green residents,” says Rob Larsen, the president of the Hunter’s Green Community Association, who has been a resident of Hunter’s Green since 1992 and whose three kids attended the local public schools. “So, this is an opportunity to build community. We have good schools and teachers and this is something we can do to promote that and get people together.”

In fact, the three schools combined serve nearly 4,000 students.

Volunteers from the elementary school PTA and the middle and high school PTSAs (Parent Teacher Student Associations) are helping to make the tournament a reality.

AdventHealth, which is planning to open its Care Pavilion (se ad on pg. 2) outside the Hunter’s Green neighborhood (in the former LifePoint Church building) in September, has signed on as the title sponsor of the event.

The tournament will be open to 144 golfers, with proceeds from registration, sponsorships, and a silent auction going to the PTA/PTSAs at each school.

Rebecca Towner, the president of the Hunter’s Green Elementary PTA and a Hunter’s Green resident, says the funds will be allocated according to the number of students at each school, and it will be up to each PTA how to spend the money.

“This is a way for schools to work together instead of being segmented and thinking only about where you are now,” says Rebecca. “Right now, I only have kids at the elementary school, but what’s going on at Benito and Wharton matters to me, too, because one day that’s where we’re going to be.”

Rob, Rebecca, and the team of volunteers helping to make this tournament happen hope that members of the community will sign up to play, donate auction items, and consider becoming sponsors to make the event a success for the local schools.

The day’s events will include a family-friendly luncheon with activities for kids. Non-golfers are invited to participate in the luncheon and silent auction.

The Chip In For Education Golf Tournament will be held at Hunter’s Green Country Club (18101 Longwater Run Dr.). The four-person team scramble tournament will have a 9 a.m. shotgun start and will be followed by family-friendly festivities with a silent and live auction and luncheon.

For more info, visit HuntersGreen.com and click on “Chip In For Education Golf Tournament” under the “Resident Life” tab of the menu.