An area golf tournament remembering a Mustang alumna had a successful outing in recent days.
Organizers had hoped to make it all the way to a full two decades of honoring Julie Jack with a golf tournament in her memory but recently marked a 16th year of competition on the course with a year off in 2020.
The Julie Jack Annual Benefit Gol Tournament started back in June 2010.
It was the summer after Julie passed away after a battle with adrenal cancer.
The 2008 Independence High School alumna had been named the school’s athlete of the year for girls and also did well with her academics.
She was a 2009 IHS Hall of Fame inductee.
In her memory, Julie Jack Memorial Scholarships began for one boy and one girl with a three-point GPA and best exemplifying Julie’s character in terms of integrity, reliability, moral conduct, leadership and service to the community.
Recipients this year were Jersey Coonrad and Christopher Meyer who both made short speeches before this year’s tournament.
With the tournament, participants headed July 25 for Three Elms in Independence.
This year’s winning foursome included Dewey Hupke, John Howard, Kellen Howard and Caden Howard.
For her part, Coonrad also golfed during the tournament.
“We had an absolute ton of hole sponsors for this thing,” said Mike Hosch, an organizer with the event. “It was a great turnout.”
Along with hitting the course, donated items were auctioned off with a big hit coming in the form of four tickets to see the Hawkeyes battle Michigan this fall with field passes and a tour.
Tim Whittaker was the winning bidder.
Engraved tumblers were presented to all the golfers. Many golfers have taken part several years if not the entire run of the tournament.
Over the years many winners have given their winnings back to the event.
Unfortunately, this was the event’s final year as a change in policy at the golf course will mean no additional tournaments.
Still, for its final outing, the tournament was a success.
“It was quite a day,” said Hosch.
Key figures in making things happen all these years have been the Jack Family, Loren Pink helping to run things and Three Elms.
“One of Julie’s last requests was to not be forgotten,” said Carolyn Hosch. “It is our hope that the scholarship in her memory will be able to be given out for many years to come, and be a lasting tribute to the amazing student, athlete, and person that she was.”