EP Classic III Raises Over $14,000

On June 18, the 3rd Annual EP Classic golf tournament to raise money for GCF was held in Edmond, Oklahoma, in memory of Ernie Pierce, who succumbed to the disease in 2009. This year’s event attracted 92 golfers and brought in more than $14,000 for the foundation, reports Ernie’s daughter, Lesley Bloese, who is one of the organizers.

Bloese was worried extreme heat might put a damper on the event—the temperature had been around 105 degrees all week—but in the end, Mother Nature cooperated, pushing the thermometer back to the low 90s. The tournament included “closest to the pin” and “longest drive” contests. “One golfer actually had a hole-in-one,” Bloese says.

The day ended with a dinner and a silent auction. This year’s auction “was heavy on rounds of golf at various local clubs,” Bloese says. There were also signed guitars from the Zac Brown Band and Foreigner, as well as signed footballs from Sam Bradford of the St. Louis Rams, DeMarco Murray of the Dallas Cowboys, Brandon Weeden of the Cleveland Browns, and Travis Lewis of the Detroit Lions.

One silent auction item—a round of golf for four at an exclusive club—arrived after the event, so an e-mail auction was held for attendees several weeks later. All in all, Bloese declares the event a success. “Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and several told us they’d be back next year.”

For more photos and details from the event, check out the EP Classic Facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/epclassic.