Final Dollahon Memorial Golf Tourney July 31

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Every summer since Pierce County Sheriff’s Investigator Jim Dollahon died suddenly in 2000 at age 38, his wife Julie has spearheaded a golf tournament in Jim’s name to benefit area children and families in need.

Six months after his death in August of 2000, Julie, along with Jim’s friends and co-workers, put together the very first James E. Dollahon Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit area children and families in need. This year, on Friday, July 31, the 10th and final fundraiser will be held at the River Falls Golf Club.

“This was an idea hatched by dear friends Dale and Sandy Viney after Jim died suddenly in 2000,” Julie Dollahon wrote in a letter to supporters. “And due to the generosity of friends, family, community members, colleagues and other caring individuals, the memorial fund has paid for services to assist child abuse and neglect victims and their families for almost 10 years.”

In the last year alone, funds raised at the tournament have paid for low-income, at-risk mothers to attend childbirth education classes they couldn’t otherwise afford. And it paid for a year’s supply of DVDs to educate new parents about shaken-baby syndrome to be provided to all new parents at the River Falls Area Hospital.

It helped fund a training on domestic violence and its effect on children, and paid for a portable easel and drawing paper for the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department for use in interviewing child victims of physical or sexual abuse.

Significant funds have been donated to the area Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization for use in making matches for children who have been victims of abuse or neglect. And money raised has paid for numerous emergency requests on behalf of families and children in need.

This year’s tournament will begin with lunch at 11 a.m. and a shotgun start at 1 p.m., with a social hour and dinner at 5 p.m. The tournament will be a scramble format with Hole-in-One prizes sponsored by Moody’s of River Falls.

Cost is $80 per person and includes lunch, golf with cart, dinner and prizes. Lunch for non-golfers is $5 and dinner alone is $25.

For more information or to register for the tournament, contact co-chairmen Viney at 425-7662, or Neil Gulbranson at 273-6806. Donations can also be sent to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, c/o Gulbranson, P.O. Box 9, 432 W. Main St., Ellsworth, WI 54011. Checks should be made payable to the James E. Dollahon Memorial Fund.

Tags: golf tournament, james dollahon, lifestyle, memorial