Golf tournament helps United Way give back to area

SIKESTON — Golfers from around the area will take part in the Sikeston/Bootheel Area United Way 5th Annual Golf Tournament on May 10 but the tournament is more than just hitting golf balls.

The golf tournament serves as one of two fundraisers for the Sikeston/Bootheel Area United Way, which gives money to local organizations.

“We help people that help people,” said Lisa Angle, executive director of the Sikeston/Bootheel Area United Way. “It’s all about education, income or health. Anything that benefits those three things we try to help.”

Angle said many people don’t realize that the money raised by the local United Way stays local. Outside of a one percent membership fee to United Way, the remaining 99% of the money stays in Scott County south of Scott City, Mississippi County, New Madrid County, Stoddard County and Butler County.

The groups helped by the Sikeston/Bootheel Area United Way are the Boy Scouts Greater St. Louis Area Council, Delta Area Blind, Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland, House of Refuge, Kenny Rogers Children’s Center, nutrition centers of Southeast Missouri, Scott County Transit, Sustainable Communities and Small Farms Network, Sikeston Cultural Development Corporation (Sikeston Depot), Sikeston Wrestling Club, Spread Hope Now and the YMCA of Southeast Missouri.

“We’re a small little organization and what we raise we give back,” Angle said.

And the need has been great in the last year with COVID-19 impacting so many people.

“We have had calls all the time for help,” Angle said. “I have resources to send people to for renter’s assistance and all of that but I come in and have calls every day.”

Angle said many of the calls are people that are out of work and are struggling to pay bills. Others are senior citizens who are on a fixed income and are struggling to find money to pay their utility bills.

“We have resources,” Angle said. “I send some of them to Aging Matters, some of them to DAEOC, some of them to Catholic Charities or the Salvation Army.

Because of the past couple years have been so bad, we set aside a little money to help people that’s in an emergency. We bought someone a $40 bus ticket. But I check them out. I have had a lot of scammers try to get money.”

But it is the organizations that the Sikeston/Bootheel Area United Way helps fund that is able to help the most people. And one of the ways the Sikeston/Bootheel Area United Way is able to fund those groups is through the golf tournament and their kickoff that is held in October through December.

Last year, the tournament was held in September due to COVID-19 and honored former board member Michelle Knickman. Angle said she was pleased with the turnout.

“We did really good for it being in September and through all the stuff we had been through,” Angle said. “We didn’t know if we were even going to have one but it turned out really, really good. Everyone enjoyed it and I think with the timing, everybody was ready to get out.

“We had great support from our Sikeston businesses. That’s who really supports us is our Sikeston businesses.”

This year the tournament is back in the spring and will be held May 10. The deadline to enter the three-person scramble is May 3 and the cost is $150 per team.

To enter a team, email bootheeluw@gmail.com or mail in an entry form to Lisa Angle, PO Box 536, Sikeston, MO 63801.

Sponsorships are also still available with $100 silver sponsorships and $225 gold sponsorships available.