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Jimmy Singletary, Earl White, Stephen Lee, Zack Shelton, Joe Penland Sr., Chuck Havard and Don Burnett
Sunny fall skies and a cool breeze welcomed the participants to this year’s annual 100 Club of Southeast Texas Golf Tournament on Oct. 10 at the Beaumont County Club.
This year’s tournament drew a host of male and female golfers who helped raised more than $110,000. The 100 Club benefits firefighters and police officers of Hardin, Jefferson and Orange counties.
After a prayer and singing of the national anthem, Vidor Police Officer Jeff Courts walked and played his bagpipe, closing out with the tune of “Amazing Grace.”
100 Club President Joe Penland Sr. was then presented a copy of a $115,000 check by Vice President Zack Shelton, who also chairs the golf tournament.
“This is one of our major fundraisers for the 100 Club,” Penland said. “This money goes into the Survivor Fund. This does not go in for death benefits.”
He said it helps a police officer or firefighter who has been injured on the job.
“If they’re on Workman’s Compensation, we supplement that to get them back on their feet because there is always a shortfall,” Penland explained. “We do other things out of it also.”
Shelton added, “We have this business tournament where companies from all over Southeast Texas pay a fee and come in to play.
“We’re there to present financial and emotional assistance to the families,” he said. “We started the Survivors Fund four or five years ago, and we give aid to police officers and firefighters hurt in the line of duty. We have helped about nine families since the fund was created.”
Penland said he wants to help the police officers and firefighters because they work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“Police and firemen are the first responders working a duty station. That’s your last line of defense and that’s our thin blue line that makes it possible for us to have to have this,” he added. “The community and the state know we have policemen moving around the community every day. That’s why you can have functions like this and not to have a bunch of bodyguards.
“They are away from their families on holidays and there are no complaints,” he said. “It’s not that big a salary. It’s just what they want to do for other people. This is just our way of giving back to them and their families for them to provide the ultimate sacrifice.”
Penland added they need more people supporting the event due to the fact crime is out of control and policemen and firefighters are working around the clock.
“One out of 10 calls is for a fire,” said Penland. “The other nine is for someone being hurt in an accident, drug-related or something that went bad. We need to help them a bunch.”
Beaumont Police Officer Paul Hulsey was shot in killed while on duty on March 22, 1988, and this event began to help “put money in the hand” of Hulsey’s family, explained Penland.
Shelton helped create the Paul Hulsey Memorial Golf Tournament in 1989, and he wore the hat from the inaugural tournament at the most recent one
“This is one of the original hats from the Paul Hulsey Memorial Golf Tournament, which was put on for Hulsey because he died in the line of duty,” said Shelton.
For more information about the 100 Club of Southeast Texas, view
100clubsetx.com.
Dannie Oliveaux is the Hardin County Editor of The Examiner. He can be reached at (409) 832-1400, Ext. 227, or dannieoliveaux@theexaminer.com.