By Justin Fedich | The Selma Times-Journal

Valley Grande Golf Course hosted Selma Mayor George Evans’ sixth annual charity golf tournament Wednesday.

More than $10,000 were raised, which will benefit Cahaba Mental Health, West Alabama Rehabilitation-Easter Seals, Selma City Schools, Dallas County Schools and other organizations that serve special needs children in the area.

The tournament was a three-man scramble, and the lowest score was 55, shot by team Henry Brick. The team consisted of John Hanning, Jim Cothran and Denson Henry.

The second flight was won with a 58, shot by team Pepsi No. 1 made up of Robert Massey, Richard Wright and William Plummer. Hopson Family Dentistry, consisting of I.B. Hopson, Albert Southall and John Lovett, took the third flight with a 60.

The fourth flight was won by team Goodwyn, Mille and Caewood with a 63. On that team was Josh Pierce, Bill Louis and Mac Russell.

The winners of each flight were given golf bags. Second place of the flights were awarded a $75 gift card to Mark’s Mart. The third place prize was a $50 gift certificate to the Farmer’s Co-op.

Executive director of the Chamber of Commerce Sheryl Smedley said the tournament ran as smoothly as she could have hoped.

“We had a lot of good planning meetings for the event, so everything’s gone off like a clock,” Smedley said.

A clock was just one of the many door prizes that were awarded to each of the 65 tournament participants. Items that ranged from Muck boots to a two-night stay at the Battle House Renaissance Hotel and Spa in Mobile were given to the tournament’s participants as prizes.

Selma Fire Department secretary Candice Irwin said the door prizes given to the participants would not have been possible without the help from the numerous companies that helped sponsor the tournament.

The Mayor’s Charity Golf Tournament received considerable donations from Jack’s, McDonald’s, The Coffee Shoppe, Pepsi and Bama Budweiser. Southern LINC was also one of the companies that helped sponsor the event.

“We want to thank all the sponsors who donated door prizes who made sure each participant in the tournament was able to get a decent door prize,” Irwin said.

Evans spent the day at the 18th hole, greeting golfers as they came through and taking a picture with them on the 18th green.

Evans offered each golfer a free putt on the 18th hole. If he missed it, the golfers would get to try again.

While Evans admitted he had about a 50-50 success rate on his putts, he said he enjoyed the fellowship that the event provided.

“It’s gone wonderful. It really has gone wonderful,” Evans said.