Foundation’s golf tournament to support officers in need

The Burke Law Enforcement Assistance Foundation will hold its second annual golf tournament at the course, with tee times at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

The registration cost of $500 includes 18 holes of captain’s choice play, a catered lunch, a mulligan, a red tee buster, four raffle tickets per player, prizes, gifts and refreshments, according to information from Burke LEAF President Tony Paterno.

Money raised from LEAF events goes to help sworn law enforcement officers in Burke County who are going through unexpected hardships like medical emergencies, whether they happen on or off the clock.

“Law enforcement is always the one on call to go help people, and sometimes they need help,” Paterno said. “That’s the big thing, is we want to make sure those officers who need the help are getting the help they need, whether it be financially or emotionally. That’s what we stand for at LEAF, and that’s what we’re hoping to continue to do.”

There were 36 teams participating last year, and the organization is hoping to have at least that many teams this year. There still were some sponsorship opportunities available, but interested sponsors would need to make those arrangements as soon as possible to ensure their logos make it on the signage and programs for the event.

“It’s a great cause,” said Seth Gullet, an agent with North Carolina Farm Bureau, about the cause. “It’s something that we, as Farm Bureau locally here in Burke County want to be associated with because we’d like to support our law enforcement officers.”

Beyond that, it’s a great opportunity for local businesses who decide to join on as sponsors and compete in the tournament, and Gullet, who taught professionally in the golf industry before moving to the insurance sector, said it’s a great opportunity to promote the sport.

“The feedback has been nothing but positive in terms of the experience they (sponsors and participants) had (last year),” Gullet said. “I would think that we would have nothing less than a similar experience this year.”

Dustin Huffman, another Farm Bureau insurance agent who also is the vice president of Burke LEAF, said it’s important to support law officers.

“I think law enforcement in general, currently, just needs all the support it can get,” Huffman said. “Things have kind of been rough in that avenue here recently. I look at it now and honestly, if you take a career in law enforcement, you’re a special individual and you must really have a heart to serve.”

Registration forms, which can be found at www.facebook.com/BURKELEAFNC, can be emailed to seth.gullet@ncfbins.com, and checks should be mailed to P.O. Box 3902, Morganton, NC 28680 with a copy of the registration form included.

Checks and registration forms also can be dropped off at the Morganton Farm Bureau office at 100 Dixie Blvd. with attention to Gullet, or at the Morganton Department of Public Safety Headquarters on South College Street with attention to Paterno.