FAIRMONT — The idea that Mark Madden started two years ago of a golf tournament fundraiser to help raise scholarship money for children of fallen Special Forces soldiers has produced $20,000 in its first two years and is looking for the same result his year.
The Sgt. 1st Class Matthew McClintock Memorial golf tournament hosts its third edition on Oct. 19 at Fairmont Golf Club to kick off the Fairmont Farmer’s Festival with a goal to raise more than $10,000 for scholarship funds.
“This is a very small way to give back to those that give so much,” Madden said. “We are expecting people to come in from as far away as Texas and Jacksonville, Fla.”
“This fundraiser does three things: it raises money for the scholarship, gives thanks to all those veterans and active duty who have served or continue to serve and it creates community awareness. At the ceremony, we will honor the 14 Special Forces soldiers that lost their lives in the last year.”
This fundraiser is more than just a golf tournament that has a noon shotgun start as there are veteran guest speakers, a drop in by the special forces parachute team as well as a presentation of the American flag to McClintock’s family during the opening ceremony that starts at 10 a.m.
Sgt. 1st Class McClintock, 30, was killed in Afghanistan on Jan. 5, 2016.
Madden estimates that the number of attendees to the ceremony will more than double the 125 golfers that will play in the packed tournament that had a waiting list last year.
“We really want to invite the public out to come out for the opening ceremony that will be a great event,” Madden said. “We want to show that the community cares and will come out in support of such a worthy cause.”
Few spots remain for the golf tournament, and anyone wanting to play in the tournament can contact Tony Mackey at 910-628-9931, Madden at 910-628-7840 or Kelly Johnson at 910-770-1967. Registration costs for the tournament are $65 a person and cover the tournament costs, lunch, dinner, drinks and prizes.
Speaking during the ceremony will be retired Gen. Keneth Bowra and retired Master Sgt. Jim Kester, who is the chairman of the Green Beret Foundation that has helped organize the tournament.
In May 1996, Gen. Bowra assumed command of the U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) at Ft. Bragg. One of his proudest accomplishments is the publication of the first “Human Rights” Policy which provided specific guidance and responsibilities critical for deployed Special Forces Soldiers.
Gen. Bowra retired from the U.S. Army with over 33 years of service on 1 October 2003. He was inducted into the Special Forces Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member of Regiment.
Master Sgt. Kester retired in 2009 with 26 years of Army service; he was recruited in Advanced Individual Training and subsequently spent his entire career in Special Forces. Jim’s Special Forces assignments include 10th Special Forces Group, 7th Special Forces Group, John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center- Directorate of Training and Doctrine, 1st Special Warfare Training Group, ROTC Instructor at the University of California at Davis, and as a Task Force Sergeant Major in Afghanistan.
Madden said that the Fairmont Chamber of Commerce, Fairmont Golf Club and the more than 40 sponsors for their contributions to the tournament.
“There has been a lot of work those have put in behind the scenes,” Madden said.
