It is hard to believe that time has gone by so quickly and we are starting to talk about our 14th Annual Shoes For Students Golf Tournament.  We are excited that we will be making some changes this year to ensure that we keep things updated and exciting for all our wonderful participants and supporters!  We are working to expand our committee this year and will be starting our meetings on Wednesday, April 2, 2014.  If you know someone who would be a fit for our team, please let us know!  We intend to have fun while creating yet another successful event! 

The 13th Annual Shoes For Students Golf Tournament Fundraiser is now one for the books.  The day started out a little  foggy and misty, but cleared up early and the sun shined brightly upon the course all day!  The Orcutt Academy High School Choral Ensemble started off the day with an amazing rendition of the National Anthem. Our hole sponsors did a great job of entertaining the golfers with lots of drinks, food and fun games. Our Happy Hour created a great transition from golf to the evening program.  Dinner was served and our live auction moved into full swing.  The silent auction consisted of over 60 items this year due to the generosity of so many.
Our corporate sponsors stepped up in a major way this year and we are so grateful for their willingness to contribute. A lot of coordinating and hard work went into the event and at the end of the day we raised a substantial amount of money for the kids in our local schools.  Stay tuned for the total amount raised- we know it will put a lot of shoes on children's feet!

Boy am I tired, but so very happy.  Today we had a great tournament, dinner and auction.  The new committee did a really outstanding job of putting together a great event (with a little help from some of the old timers        :-)  ).  EVERYONE I talked to had a good time and loved the new location at the Santa Maria Country Club.  Thank you Joe, Mike, and Trace for doing such a great job, and to Jennifer Biely and her crew who served us a great dinner. Thank you to Scott Muir of Muir Music for his great music, and especially for
playing we are the Champions when it was announced the my team came in 2nd place
(and we did it without your help Trace!!)  And thank you to Clyde Hernandez for coming out and taking photos, which we will share with you in the near future.  Thank you to John Glines and his crew for helping to raise lots for money with the auction. 

 
Thank you to all the many sponsors who helped to make the day a success.  And very important to the many people who devoted a whole day to come out an entertain and serve the golfers.  You are what makes this tournament so special!! and brings the golfers back again and again.  There are way too many people to thank tonite but know that your are appreciated and that there are many children who will benefit from all the hard work that went into today.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart, or like I like to say, from the soles of my shoes!!  We will get some totals out in the next couple of days.

kt

I just received notification that we are adding one last incredible Live Auction item to our line-up for this Sunday!

The Boulders Resort in Carefree, AZ has most generously donated a two-day/one-night stay in one of their deluxe Casitas and two rounds of golf for two on their two award winning championship golf courses.

The Boulders Resort is located just North of Scottsdale and is a AAA four diamond resort that has three restaurants, two swimming pools, two championship golf courses (both listed in the top 20 in the state), and a 25,000 square foot Golden Door Spa.

I have stayed here many times and it is truly a wonderful resort. Your every wish and desire comes true from the first class staff.

The retail value of this item is $1,200.

See you on Sunday!

Bob Walsmith Jr.
Shoes for Students Golf Tournament Director

Only 4 days left to go until the Big Day!

Our golf field is full and the final preparations for our live and silent auctions are almost complete!

Since my last entry, we have some really exciting news. The three wineries that will be pouring during our Happy Hour are set and I am pleased to announce that they are Costa de Oro, Riverbench, and Tolosa. All three are local wineries and all have outstanding and award winning wines! We are also pleased that Riverbench has kindly donated a 5 Liter (yes, 5 Liter) bottle of their Estate Pinot Noir that is signed by their winemaker, Clarissa Nagy and their vineyard manager, Jim Stollberg.

In addition, I have been replaced as the Chef for the two "Chef to You" wine dinners. That alone should up the price! However, I have been replaced by Alfonso Curti, the owner/chef of Trattoria Uliveto Restaurant in Orcutt. Alfonso have generously agreed to come up with a four or five course dinner to be paired with award winning wines from Qupe (for one dinner) and Pessagno (for the other.). That is awesome! He and I will come to the winning bidder's home and prepare this dinner for 10 people. Talk about an awesome evening!

We still have a few dinner tickets remaining, so if you want a great Happy Hour, an awesome dinner, and the opporunity to bid on some great items, please call me, bob Walsmith Jr, at 720-5362 or Kate Ferguson at 331-6204, to purchase your tickets.

And for the golfers, we have announced that the two winning teams (one for Low Gross and one for Low Net) will each receive $432 in merchandise from the Santa Maria Country Club pro shop. The second place teams in each category will receive $288 in merchandise. Each member of the four winning teams will receive a plaque commemorating their great day and in addition, the two first place teams will have their names inscribed on a perpetual trophy that will be housed at the Santa Maria Country Club. 

The weather is supposed to cooperate (a high of 76 and sunny!) and we are looking forward to a great day! See you there!

Bob Walsmith Jr.
Shoes for Students Golf Tournament Director

Here we are with only two weeks to go until our event! Where has the time gone? Oh well, the planning is going great and we are anticipating a wonderful day of golf, fun, great food, an awesome silent auction and a lively and spirited live auction. Oh did I forget the beer and wine tasting before dinner?

At this time we only have a few openings left for golf (we will definitely have a full field which is great!), so if you are interested and have a team, please get your entry form in right away. You can call me (Bob) at 720-5362 or Kate Ferguson at 331-6504 to secure your spot. You really don't want to miss any of the fun.

WE have hole sponsors at each tee ready to feed you, quench your thrist (with "adult  beverages") and maybe even have a game or two to challenge us while you wait to  tee off.  Also a photographer to take your pic as a memento of the event will be positioned on the course. After the great day of golfing fun, we are going to have a really wonderful dinner. It will start with a Raspberry Walnut Salad, followed by a main course of Chicken Saltimbocca and Wild Rice Pilaf with Marsala Sauce, and finished with a Chocoalte Mousse Truffle Cake. Doesn't that sound delicious!

And, for those not interested in playing golf and just having that great dinner, we have a new treat just for you. From 5:00 until approximately 6:00 (when dinner will be served) we are going to have a "Happy Hour." That will consist of gourmet appetizers, and beer and wine tasting from many of our local and fabulous breweries and wineries. You will also be able to purchase the wines that you are tasting as well. And the price for the dinner and the Happy Hour is only $35. Try to beat that at any of our local restaurants!

Our silent auction will have over 50 items as of right now. We have restaurant gift certificates, crafts, items just for women, a Fun Kids Party Day, and a awesome collection of hard to find wines. We have a 5 Liter bottle of Estate Pinot Noir from Riverbench Winery here in Santa Maria (signed by the winemaker and vineyard manager), a signed Magnum of Pinot Noir from Longoria Winery, an etched Magnum of 2010 Kosta Browne Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir, signed by the two owners. Wine from Kosta Browne is not only hard to find (It is usually only available to their list memebers, of which there is a lenghty waiting period, or in fine restaurants), but Magnums from this winery are only made available to fundrasiers. We are very fortuante to have one! We also have a case of 2010 Loring Close Pepe Vineyard Pinot Noir valued at almost $600, a signed Magnum of 2009 Pessagno Four Boys Vineyard Pinot Noir, just to name a few.
 
In our Live Auction line up, we have a "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" package that includes a limo ride out to the beautiful Riverbench Winery, with a deli lunch and wine tasting for 6. Another hit will be a great golf package for four at four local golf clubs for the guys (or gals). We are also featuring a "Chef to You" package, where I, "Chef Robert" will come to your house and cook a 4 course gourmet meal paired with delicious Pessagno Wines for 8 people, BBQ package for 20, a Margarita Adventures Zip Line pkg and more to come.

Sound like a fun and exciting day?  Bring your group out to play, or just come out for a fine dinner, with a treat of beer and wine tasting and auction heckeling. Sure to please everyone and dont forget our wonderful cause.  It greatly helps the children in our valley with shoes, sweatshirts and we also helped out with musical instruments in the past. 
 
Raffle tickets for a chance to win $2,000 in gasoline was as a hit as well last year so we have brought it back again this year. Tickets are $5 each or a book of 5 for $20. Please call us so you dont miss out!