Early morning frost on the golf course did not discourage participants in the “One Less Stroke” golf scramble Sunday morning.

The event was held at Riverwood Resort, 1313 E. Broomfield Road, and is one of many set up by students in recreation parks and leisure assistant professor Tim Otteman’s RPL 430: Planning Recreational Programs and Events course.

“We had to have a charity and we had to have an event and they had to correlate,” said Grand Rapids junior Stephanie Burns.

The group choose to do a fundraiser for the stroke center of Central Michigan Community Hospital, 1221 South Drive.

Teams of two head out Saturday morning at the One Less Stroke Golf Outing. The teams competed in a scramble that benefited the Central Michigan Community Hospital Stroke Center. (Nathan Kostegian/Staff Photographer)

The 10 teams that attended the event raised $335. The winners were Otteman and Weidman resident Rob Burgan at 4 under par.

“We know that strokes are so common that anyone and everyone can relate to it,” Burns said.

Otteman was at the event to grade the class and because of personal interest. His family has been sponsoring an unrelated annual golf outing to benefit the Central Michigan Community Hospital nursing education program for 15 years.

“Anything that benefits the hospital is near and dear to my heart,” Otteman said.

Otteman said he has felt the effects strokes deal to families as his sister died from a stroke at 24.

A family affair

Several other attendees also had a personal connection with the stroke cause.

“My best friend in high school had a stroke at 17,” said Northville sophomore Greg Manley.

Manley was joined on the golf course by his father, Eric Manley.

“We’re fair-weather golfers,” Eric Manley said. “But I got up at 5 o’clock in the morning for this. It was well worth it.”

Though many attending were family or friends of the organizers, all were enthusiastic about the cause.

“We play quite a bit, but the ball doesn’t always agree with us,” Glenn Zubke said.

Glenn Zubke was convinced to come to the event by his grandson, Adrian junior Craig Zubke. Craig, who helped organize the event, brought several members of his family to come play golf.

Grand Rapids freshman Curtis Burns also had some family members participating.

“I enjoy playing golf and I just thought I’d help her organization out,” Burns said.

The group is sponsoring another fundraiser on Nov. 11 at Bennigans, 2424 S. Mission St. to raise more money for the stroke center.

E-mail the author: Maryellen Tighe