By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Sierra Sober Grad pins hopes on golf
Placeholder Image
Money has never been a problem in the past for the Sierra High School Sober Grad Committee.

With several large fundraisers usually covering the necessary funding to send graduating seniors to Boomer’s in Modesto for a night of sober fun, students who stayed for the entire time were even handed an envelope with money as a gift for their academic accomplishments and positive choices.

But according to committee president Karen Carrillo, the monetary well is drying up.

“We’re just not receiving donations like we’ve received from businesses in the past,” Carrillo said. “I don’t know if it’s the economy or people just want to save in case things get bad again, but we’re not doing as well as we’d like to.”

When Carrillo’s son graduated from Sierra in 2007, he paid only $35 to have full reign of the amusement park – including the go carts, the video games, and the bumper boats. Now students are being charged $50, and the envelope of cash that’s handed out at the end of the night is in jeopardy of going away completely.

And it’s not from a lack of trying.

The sober grad committee had to cancel a poker tournament last month because they didn’t have enough players to make it competitive.

Now the group is pinning all of their hopes on a golf tournament – scheduled for Friday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m. – that they believe might pull in enough money to lower the cost to attend sober grad and bring back some of the raffle prizes that have been so popular in previous years.

“We’re going to start registering people at 6:30, and we’re going to have a shotgun start at 7:30,” Carrillo said. “It’s a best ball tournament, so we’re expecting people to come out and have a lot of fun.”

The cost to play at Manteca Park Golf Course is $100 per person for $380 for a foursome. The fee that includes a cart, green fees, beverages, a goodie bag and a sit-down lunch at Chez Shari when everything wraps up.

Students are also doing their part by selling See’s Candies in order to waive the $50 admission fee to take part in the event. Students who also sign up a foursome will get a free ticket as well.

“Our donation requests have not been honored as much as they have been in the past because of this economy, so this golf tournament really needs to be a success,” Carrillo said. “We’re trying everything we can to pull this off, but just about everything is riding on this tournament.”

In true tournament fashion, contests such as closest to the pin, the longest drive, the lowest team score, the highest team score, the longest putt, and a hole-in-one challenge will all be held.

Prizes include vacations and raffle baskets, and a 50/50 raffle will also be available. A prize will also be awarded to the best dressed old school “golfer,” and the dreaded “Pink Flamingo” will also be given out for the shortest drive off the tee.

For more information, to obtain a registration form, or to sign up, contact Karen Carrillo at 608-9629 or e-mail karencarrillo@comcast.net. Fees are due in full by March 26.