GCEDC fund-raiser draws in record crowd

Sell-out event contributes to annual operating budget

MOSES LAKE — A record number of golfers and partygoers turned out to support economic development in their county over the weekend.

"I expect when all the bills are paid, we're going to have a very successful fund-raising event behind us," said Grant County Economic Development Council executive director Terry Brewer of the council's Duel in the Desert golf tournament and Party on the Green, which started Friday and ran through Saturday evening at the Moses Lake Golf and Country Club.

The event has grown each year, Brewer said, both in the number of participants and in net receipts to the council.

"I'm quite certain that this event will have raised more money for the EDC than any previous year," he said.

This year's event was also the first to have a title sponsor. Yahoo! Inc., which saw the ground breaking for its Quincy data center earlier in the week, contributed several items for the event's "goody bag," Brewer said, including a golf club head cover, a sleeve of balls with the Yahoo! logo. The company's logo also appeared on caps and on a shirt given away to all the golfers.

"We certainly feel it added some value to the event to have a big name like that associated with it," Brewer said.

The funds raised by the fund-raiser help the council pay its bills, Brewer said, noting the EDC budget is based on membership receipts and a single fund-raiser every year.

"We're hoping we made about $50,000 net from this event," Brewer said. "That contributes greatly to our annual operating budget for the EDC."

In the last two months, he continued, the council has garnered 10 to 12 new members, and works hard to get more all the time. As with any charitable organization, some members will be lost every year for one reason or another, he allowed but the council works hard to maintain its level of contribution and continue to keep the operation providing services to the existing business community and assist potential companies eyeing the county.

"We had great weather, a big crowd and it was a fun weekend," Brewer said. "Anyone that missed it should get their tickets early next year, because we did sell out, both on the golf event and the Party on the Green."