MEDINA, Ohio – For the 17th year in a row, Patrick Spoerndle will take to the Fox Meadow Country Club golf course to play 100 holes in one day in an effort to raise money for Hospice of Medina County. Over the years, Spoerndle has raised more than $500,000 for the local organization and hopes to reach $600,000 with this year’s event.
“I first did this in 2009 with the goal of raising $10,000 and I thought it would be a one-time thing,” Spoerndle said. “I ended up raising $18,000 and decided it would be criminal to stop. It took 10 years to raise the first $250,000 and then we raised a second $250,000 in the next five years.”
Spoerndle said there is a misconception that he chose to support Hospice of Medina County because a loved one received care through the organization.
“That really wasn’t the case. Although since I have started this, I have had four family members who unfortunately needed their services,” he said. “But that just strengthened my commitment to this. But just looking at different charities I saw how Hospice of Medina County was providing a valuable service to people right here in our community.”
Spoerndle said that many golf centered fundraisers are golf outings, but those include a lot of overhead costs and often as little as 30 percent of the money raised goes to the actual charity. He wanted to create a fundraiser where 100 percent of the funds go to Hospice of Medina County.
“I approached Fox Meadow and asked if they would be willing to donate a Monday, which is a day they are normally closed, for me to do the 100 holes,” he said. “I thought that would catch people’s attention. They have always been ready and willing to provide that for me.”
This year’s event will take place July 28 at Fox Meadow and while Spoerndle completes the challenge, members of Westfield Bank will join him on the course.
“Westfield Bank has been one of my corporate sponsors for years and they will do a bit of a relay and have one guy come out and play with me for an hour and a half or so and then someone else from Westfield joins me,” he said. “None of them are stupid enough to try to play 100 holes, but it’s a fun challenge and I appreciate their support.”
Spoerndle said that his best time in completing 100 holes was five hours and 40 minutes. Last year, he completed the challenge in six hours and 30 minutes.
Anyone interested in donating or learning more about the challenge can visit 100forhospice.com.
“We will be accepting donations for a while after the event,” he said.
While funds from the first years of the challenge supported a building campaign for Hospice of Medina County, the funds now go into an endowment which pays for volunteer training for the organization.
Spoerndle said he plans to keep the fundraiser going as long as he is physically able to play golf.
