WABASH, IN –
Another year,
another record, and
plenty of reasons to
celebrate! The 35th
Annual Wabash
Rotary & United
Fund Golf Outing
brought the
community
together on
Wednesday,
September 2, at
Honeywell Golf
Course for a day filled with golf, laughter, friendly competition, and giving back.
This year's sold-out outing raised a record-breaking $23,168 for Wabash County United Fund's
2027 Campaign. Since 1991, the fundraising impact from this annual event totals an incredible
$288,407!
What began 35 years ago has grown into a beloved community tradition, thanks to the dedication
of Wabash Rotary members, generous local businesses, golfers, and volunteers who continue to
make the event possible year after year.
For Wabash Rotary, the milestone represents more than three decades of bringing people together
through service, friendship, and a shared commitment to giving back. “Reflecting on 35 years of
this golf outing, it is remarkable to see what can be accomplished through the continued
dedication of our golfers, sponsors, volunteers, and fellow Rotarians,” said Melvin Rennaker,
Wabash Rotary Golf Outing Chair. “While the outing provides an enjoyable day of golf and
fellowship, its greater purpose has always been to support the organizations that serve our
Wabash County community. We take great pride in being a part of this longstanding tradition and
appreciate the generosity and commitment of everyone who has contributed to its success year
after year.”
"There's something pretty special about looking back at 35 years of this outing," said Kelli Dale,
Executive Director of Wabash County United Fund. "I've enjoyed digging through old
newspaper clippings and seeing how this tradition has grown over the years. Some of those
stories go back a little further than I do! To see another record-breaking year and nearly $290,000
raised for our community is incredible. We're so grateful to the Wabash Rotarians and everyone
who has helped make this event what it is today."
The outing welcomed 24 teams and featured plenty of opportunities for friendly competition,
from longest drives and closest to the pin contests to hole-in-one prizes and fun games
throughout the course. But the day was about more than golf. Twenty local agencies spent the
Pictured: Members of the Wabash Rotary Club present a check to Wabash County United
Fund following the record-breaking 35th Annual Rotary & United Fund Golf Outing.
afternoon on the course visiting with golfers, sharing information about their services, and
helping participants see firsthand the important work happening throughout Wabash County.
This year's anniversary also included a special moment of appreciation as Wabash County United
Fund recognized longtime Rotarians who have helped build and carry on the outing's tradition.
Commemorative golf blankets were presented to David Mann, Art Jasen, Tom Frank, and Larry
Hoover in recognition of their years of dedication.
Looking back on the outing’s beginnings, Mann recalled that the idea grew from a simple
connection between golf and the local agencies United Fund supports. With 18 agencies involved
at the time, he envisioned an 18-hole event where agencies could be out on the course sharing
their work and their stories with golfers. The idea also reflected Rotary’s motto, “Service Above
Self,” and quickly gained the club’s support.
Some of his favorite memories are the creative ways Rotarians made the day fun. During the first
outing, a committee member who worked at the Plain Dealer had an old car he was trying to sell.
The car became an unusual prize on the course; golfers who hit it with a shot could enter a
drawing to win it. A golfer from the Container Corp team won the car, got it started, and drove it
home. Mann also remembers years when rainy weather sent agency representatives into the cart
barn, where golfers could still visit with them between holes. Those conversations helped
agencies get to know one another and even sparked opportunities to collaborate. For Mann, “the
stories are reminders that the outing has always been about both having fun and bringing people
together around the work of local nonprofits.”
The day's winning teams included:
• First Place: Sean Cline, Steve Shugart, Kyle Dubois, and Andrew Morekle
• Second Place: Marc Munson, Jeremy Bennigan, McKynzi Grayless, and River Kolb
• Third Place: Aaron Spring, Wayne Denger, Tim Hiser, and Patrick Sullivan Sponsor Recognition
A special thank-you goes to Wellbrooke of Wabash for generously providing lunch for the
golfers, along with the many businesses whose sponsorships, prizes, and contributions helped
make this year's outing possible.
• Masters Sponsor: Baldwin Electric
• Golf Cart Sponsor: Chittick Insurance
• Putting Contest Sponsor: HR Ideas Unlimited
• Hole-in-One Sponsor: Shepherd’s Chevrolet GMC of Wabash
• Drink Cart Sponsors: Bechtold Contracting & Grow Wabash County
• Lunch Sponsor: Wellbrooke of Wabash
Additional sponsors supporting this year’s outing included:
5 Hour Energy • 950 Speakeasy Bistro • Anytime Fitness – Wabash • Autumn Ridge • Beacon
Credit Union • Cetera Investors – Conner Hobbs • Clear Water Systems • Complete Glass
Solutions • Conflux & Confluence • Crossroads Bank • Custom Magnetics • Downs Tandy
Petruniw, P.C. • Edward Jones • Ford Meter Box • Gentry Well & Pump • Grain Systems Inc. •
Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service • Halderman Real Estate • Heartland REMC • Honeywell
Golf Course • IN Plain Dealer – David Nelson • Intrasect Technologies • J.M. Reynolds Oil •
Josiah White’s • MSD of Wabash County • Mosier’s Tarps • Northwestern Mutual – David Mann
• PaperWorks • POET • Rea Logan • Ruoff Mortgage – Jennifer Meyer • State Farm – Todd
Adams • Terrell Realty • Vernon Health & Rehabilitation • Wabash Castings • Wabash County
Museum • Wabash County Sheriff’s Department • Wabash County YMCA • Wabash Fire
Department • Weigand Construction • Wings Etc. •
Wabash County United Fund extends its appreciation to the Wabash Rotary Club, all 96 golfers,
the volunteers who helped organize and run the event, the 20 participating agencies, the 39 hole
sponsors, and everyone who helped make the day a success. 35 years, countless memories, and
$288,407 raised for our community. Thank you for making every swing count!