CONWAY — It will be raining golf balls Sept. 6 at the Centennial Valley Golf Club, and when it’s over, someone will have $2,018.
It’s the 13th annual Independent Living Services Golf Ball Drop, scheduled from 5:30-7 p.m.
Robert Wright, director of development and supported employment, said people can buy tickets for numbered golf balls, which will be dropped at about 6:30 p.m. from a Conway Fire Department ladder truck. The ball closest to an X marked on the ground will win the grand prize of $2,018.
“We do this to support our transportation services; 95 percent of the consumers we service don’t drive or can’t obtain a driver’s license, and they need transportation,” Wright said. “Conway has no public transportation.
“We’ve got 38 vehicles in our fleet that we run at ILS; we serve over 250 consumers here in Faulkner County.”
Founded in 1970, Independent Living Services is a nonprofit agency with services for individuals 18 and older with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Wright said ILS provides transportation daily to and from the organization’s day program, as well as to medical visits, the grocery store, movies, ballgames and other leisure activities.
He said the golf-ball drop’s proceeds will go to fund drivers’ salaries and provide maintenance of the fleet, gasoline, “all the things it takes to run a vehicle.”
“We use [the ball drop] in a two-fold way,” Wright said. “One is to get the word out in the community — we have so many consumers who live in the community and shop in the community. At the same time, we use it as a fundraiser and use it toward transportation.
“When we get a new [vehicle], we have to pay 20 percent upfront; most of ours come from the state. It’s expensive to get a new one, and another thing, gas prices affect us a lot. If gas is going from $2.40 to $2.50 … and we’re filling up 38 vehicles, that’s a big deal in our budget.”
Centennial Bank will provide free refreshments at the event — hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and ice cream. A bounce house will be available for kids, too.
Attendees will have an opportunity to enjoy the evening, learn about ILS and buy tickets — a chance to win $2,018.
Tickets are one for $10, three for $25, seven for $50 and 20 for $100. We’ll number your balls according to your tickets, and from the big ladder, we’ll drop the balls. Last year, it was over 1,000 [golf balls].”
The winner does not have to be present.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.indliving.org or at the event until 10 minutes before the balls are dropped, Wright said.
Elissa Douglas, executive director, said she looks forward to the annual event.
“We’re just excited to be doing this event again, and we love that the community is able to come out and learn more about Independent Living Services and meet some of the folks we serve and have a fun night out there,” she said.
Last year, approximately $13,000 was raised from the event, Wright said.
“That much or more is what we’re pushing for. Ticket sales are going good,” he said. “We’re just hoping to have a good time again and the weather to hold out for us.”
More information is available by calling Wright at (501) 580-0098 or emailing him at robert@indliving.org.
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.