ROUND LAKE PARK, Ill. – Golfers from across the nation gathered on a cool Indian Summer morning Saturday September 8, for the very popular and highly anticipated Plast-Chicago Open Charity Golf Classic, held at the Renwood Golf Course in Round Lake Beach, Ill., where the inaugural Plast-Chicago Golf Outing kicked off 20 years ago.
For the last two decades over 1,000 participants have been coming from all corners of the United States, including California, Colorado, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia/Washington, D.C., and Florida, to take part in this very successful and well-attended charity golf tournament and festivities hosted by the Chicago-based Pobratymy fraternity of Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization.
Using a team scramble format to engage the 60 men and women golfers, this outing provided an opportunity for participants to enjoy friendly competition and great camaraderie surrounded by beautiful natural surroundings.
The fun continued with the customary post-golf reception, banquet and festivities held at the nearby Ukrainian Youth Camping Organization’s (UYCO) Plast campground, held outdoors and lakeside under the beautiful evening skies. Featured were a lavish traditional Hawaiian luau and pig roast dinner, along with music and dancing. Many friends and families from the Chicagoland community joined in these festivities and after which the golf award winners were announced.
In a tie, the “lowest score” tournament was won by two teams: Denys Pileckyj, Andrij Rud, Markian Dziuk and Marko Iwanik; and Roman Mycyk, Mary Mycyk, Tyler Hall and George Kuritza. The men’s and women’s “longest drive” competitions were won by Tyler Hall (305 yards) and Mary Mycyk (220 yards) while the men’s and women’s “closest to the pin” contest was won by Markian Dziuk and Mary Mycyk. The “putting contest” winners (tie) were: Yuriy Striltschuk and Ivan Derkach.
Winning the 50/50 charity raffle was Marijka Dykun – who promptly donated back all the winning proceeds.
As usual, 100 percent of the proceeds from this annual event will provide continued financial support for Plast and The Pobratymy Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation established in 1992 by members of the Plast Pobratymy fraternity. Over the past 26 years, the foundation has raised over $300,000 to further the principles of Plast and Ukrainian scouting to Plast chapters in United States, Canada, Germany and Ukraine.
Areta Kuritza
Members of the co-winning teams (from left): Tyler Hall, Roman Mycyk, George Kuritza, Marko Iwanik, Mary Mycyk, Denys Pileckyj, Markian Dziuk and Andrij Rud.
The Pobratymy Foundation and the tournament’s organizer expressed enormous gratitude to all of the wonderful volunteers and sponsors for their support, generosity and commitment, as they are the life-blood of the annual charity event. Cited were: Oleh Hanowsky, Areta Kuritza, Andrij Durbak, Katrusia and Roman Saldan, Ihor Hrynewycz, Antin Durbak, Marko Iwanik, Oleh Sajewych, George A. Kuritza, as well as the Selfreliance Foundation of the Selfreliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union in Chicago.
The 21st anniversary Plast Chicago Golf Classic will be held next year on Saturday, September 7, at a yet-to-be-determined location. Readers may follow the activity of the Pobratymy on www.Pobratymy.org.