Tournament set to raise money for school

From left, Darren Mathews, Joel Hoggard, Jeremy Myers and Bode Teague prepare for the Harding Academy Teacher Fundraiser Golf Tournament that will take place Aug. 4 at The Course at River Oaks in Searcy. Myers said the fundraiser will relieve some of the financial burden that teachers have at the academy.
From left, Darren Mathews, Joel Hoggard, Jeremy Myers and Bode Teague prepare for the Harding Academy Teacher Fundraiser Golf Tournament that will take place Aug. 4 at The Course at River Oaks in Searcy. Myers said the fundraiser will relieve some of the financial burden that teachers have at the academy.

— Golf, food and fellowship for a good cause — what’s not to love?

Participants will raise money to support Harding Academy while golfing with friends and family at the Harding Academy Teacher Fundraiser Golf Tournament.

Jeremy Myers, education and involvement minister at West Side Church of Christ, said anyone who enjoys playing golf is welcome.

The fundraising event will take place Aug. 4 at The Course at River Oaks in Searcy, with tee-off at noon, he said.

Lunch will be provided to all participants at 11:15 a.m.

Items from Chick-fil-A and Firehouse Subs will be served, along with chips, cookies, soda and water.

Players will be entered to win a YETI cooler and YETI cups, he said.

Myers said the Searcy Fire Department will execute a ball drop over the putting green from an 80-foot ladder.

“Players will write their name on a ball, and the closest ball to the hole will win over 100 golf balls,” he said.

“We will also have two rugs on the two fairways. If a ball lands on a rug, the player will win a rug,” he added.

Myers said admission to the tournament is $125 per player, and participants are encouraged to preregister to reserve a spot.

A variety of contests will take place, including longest putt and closest to the pin.

Prizes will be awarded to winners.

Myers said he chooses to be involved in the event to help the teachers of Harding Academy.

“As a parent of a student, and the husband to a wife who teaches at Harding Academy, I believe it’s important to give my time to the school in any way that I can to help others. I want my children to know that we should always be willing to serve and give back when the opportunity arises,” he said.

The fundraiser will relieve some of the financial burden that teachers at the academy have, he said, as many decorations and visual learning aids for classrooms are paid for out of the teachers’ pockets.

Myers said all proceeds for the event will be divided evenly among classroom and special-area teachers at Harding Academy.

The event shows teachers they are loved and that there are people who want to support them, he said.

Joel Hoggard, president of Harding Academy’s Parents, Friends and Teachers Association, said the event brings Harding Academy supporters together.

“We have alumni who play in the tournament, and it’s exciting to see folks reuniting after years of being away from Searcy. Some teachers have chosen to use these funds to purchase new alternative seating in their classrooms, while others use [the money] for books and other invaluable resources,” Hoggard said.

The PFTA also hosts a Grandparents Day Silent Auction each year, he said.

Hoggard said he chose to become involved with the PFTA because of his love for the school.

“My family moved to Searcy when I was in fourth grade. I enrolled at Harding Academy near the end of my fourth-grade year and eventually graduated in 1999. The relationships built during my time as a student are strong even today,” he said.

Hoggard said he learned early on in life that a good leader knows how to delegate.

“I hate to take credit for the hard work done by the folks behind the scenes,” he said.

The PFTA also tries to find other ways to help students and faculty at Harding Academy through grants, he said.

“These grants have gone to pay for iPads in classrooms, replacement bleachers in the gym, camera equipment for the journalism department, books for classrooms and dozens of other resources,” Hoggard said.

Hoggard said the fundraising event will allow teachers to outfit classrooms with aids and equipment that will benefit their students.

All teachers, both grade-specific and special-area, will be given the same amount for their classrooms, he said.

“I’m married to a teacher, and I know firsthand how helpful it is to have additional money set aside for the classrooms,” he said.

Myers said if space is available, people can register through Aug. 3 to play in the tournament.

To register and secure a spot in the event, contact Jeremy Myers at (501) 388-5194.

Staff writer Kayla Baugh can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or kbaugh@arkansasonline.com.

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