The 21st Annual Bill Barr Memorial Golf Classic, Sept. 1-12, will again raise funds for SVdP’s Resident Services program. Join the fun in a new location for the tournament, Diamond Woods Golf Course, and a new hybrid format that lets you safely golf on your own time and away from crowds.
St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County (SVdP) will revive its long-running Bill Barr Memorial Golf Classic this Sept. 1-12 at a new location — Diamond Woods Golf Course, 96040 Territorial Hwy. near Monroe.
The 21st-annual tournament, supported by presenting sponsor Murphy Company, will again raise money for SVdP’s Resident Services program. And it will be the first partially in-person special event hosted by SVdP since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like it did so many other things, the pandemic put all of SVdP’s events on hold for more than a year, or forced them into new virtual or hybrid formats.
Rather than a traditional tournament model placing crowds of people at the course on the same day, the 2021 Bill Barr Golf Classic will feature a flexible 12-day format allowing golfers to complete rounds at their own pace and with their preferred amount of social distancing. Participants will use the GolfStatus app for mobile scoring and live tracking up until tournament play ends at noon on Sunday, Sept. 12.
We are excited to get back to hosting live fundraising events to support St. Vincent de Paul services, and are committed to doing it safely,” said SVdP Executive Director Terry McDonald. “It was especially difficult to suspend our golf tournament in 2020, because as a fundraiser it directly helps hundreds of low-income families who live in our affordable housing.”
The rising cost of living forces many with limited incomes to choose between food, medications, and other necessities. To eliminate that cruel dilemma as much as possible for those facing financial hardship, SVdP develops and manages affordable housing for qualifying families.
But it doesn’t end there. SVdP’s Resident Services team also helps families maintain stable housing by connecting them with community resources and providing ongoing tenancy education. Eight Resident Services Coordinators serve 33 SVdP affordable-housing properties in Lane, Linn and Marion counties, guiding tenant families through the systems and services necessary for them to remain housed. Residents benefit from referrals, advocacy, individualized guidance, educational and social activities, and various forms of material assistance — all of it supported in part by proceeds from the Bill Barr tournament.
“This fundraiser provides Resident Services with the resources to provide food programs, youth activities, community events, emergency hygiene supplies, and more,” said SVdP Resident Services Manager Elizabeth Carr. “These are basic needs that our tenants often go without if we can’t provide them. So, last year was really tough without the fundraiser. It was heartbreaking to have to limit what we could do.”
From top: St. Vincent de Paul’s 21st Annual Bill Barr Memorial Golf Classic will take place Sept. 1-12 at Diamond Woods Golf Course. It will raise funds to support Resident Services, which organizes events (when gatherings are safe), maintains food pantries, and does much more to assist residents of SVdP affordable housing.
Registration and more information
Tournament fees are $100 per individual golfer registration, which includes one golf cart, or $350 per team of four, which includes two carts. After registering, participants can call Diamond Woods Golf Course, 541-998-9707, to schedule their tee times, and download the GolfStatus app for mobile scoring and live tracking via their smart devices.
Online tournament registration and complete participation details for the 2021 Bill Barr Memorial Golf Classic are at bit.ly/billbarrmemorial. More information about the event and SVdP’s Resident Services program can be found at svdp.us/billbarrgolfclassic.
Seeking sponsorships, donations
The presenting sponsor of the 21st Annual Bill Barr Memorial Golf Classic is Murphy Company, a leading Northwest producer of hardwood and softwood plywood and veneers. SVdP has other sponsorship opportunities available at many different levels of financial contribution, and also encourages direct monetary and in-kind donations to the Resident Services program. More information about either way to help is available by calling 541-600-8454.
History of the Bill Barr Memorial Golf Classic
Bill Barr, a former banker and employee of SVdP Property Management, organized a golf tournament for 16 consecutive years to ensure funding for the Resident Services program. In his honor, friends, business representatives, community members and fellow golfers “raised the Barr” to help sponsor, donate and golf in the aptly named Bill Barr Memorial Golf Classic. This will be the 21st year of this invaluable fundraiser.