This year’s “Neon Rose Golf Classic” will be on Oct. 23, just before the atmosphere gears up for Halloween. As Petaluma People Services, Executive Director Elece Hempel explained to this reporter, “The Neon Rose, actually started as the Wild Rose and was a women only tournament.”
“It was started by PPSC board members (Lynn Imm and Barbara Madick), as a way to educate local women about all the work that PPSC does and to raise a little bit of money,” she said. Petaluma People Services is a social services outreach to the people of Petaluma – a town of just under 60 thousand people, not far from the wine growing hub of Sonoma.
Petaluma People Services served over 7,000 people last year through a collaboration of 42 programs. The hands-on, face-to-face support that individuals receive from PPSC is wide ranging; counseling, job placement, gang prevention, daily hot meals, rides to the doctor, case management, financial assistance for homeless prevention, informational and referrals.
Hempel believes that everyone in the community can help each other in some way. The fundraiser/event was a way to bring people together and have a bit of fun while raising funds and raising awareness of the community’s needs.
In those first few Wild Rose tournaments -(which at first were in the daytime). “It was ‘over the top’ said Hempel. We had men greet the cars as the women arrived to golf. And, the men carried their clubs and were greeted with an amazing Mexican Lunch provided by Coldwell Banker. The highlight for many of the women, said Hempel was a temporary tattoo that they would show off at the dinner and awards ceremony.”
“In fact, Hempel said, the coveted award was not the longest drive or best putt, but the Wildest Rose, which was given to the woman with the most creative placement of their tattoo (yes, really it got a little wild when they would show them off)!”
“During the recession, noted Hempel we saw a drop in the number of people who registered and the costs of the event were getting higher so our board went in search of something that would be a little bit different, and we stumbled on the “golf in the dark”.
“Both men and women golf in 9 holes teeing off at dusk and then golfing into the dark of the night,” she said. “The course is lit with glow sticks and the golfers all get glow in the dark balls.”
“My favorite thing to watch is standing from the club house you can see the colored balls shoot through the sky and then usually a few hoots from the golfers, said Hempel. “The Sound carries so you hear the hit of the ball, and then shouts of glee from the golfers and their foursomes.”
“We send them out on the course with a little bit of champagne, Hempel said, and then of course this is glowing fun at each of the holes.” “They come back for amazing desserts and drinks and we are done by 10:00pm.”
This will be the 16th year of the fundraising tournament. “The tournament organizers do a great job of keeping everything on track, even in the dark, said Rob Watson, PGA Class golf instructor at the course where the event is scheduled. It will be held at the Rooster Run Golf Club on East Washington Street, in Petaluma. For more information and to register, visit the Petaluma Peoples Services Center web site.
