Whether you are a seasoned golfer, a curious newcomer, or someone who believes in supporting a good cause, this event could be for you.
The Raritan Valley (New Jersey) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, is hosting its 8th Annual Swing with The Links – Tycene Pirtle Edd Memorial Golf Outing on September 29. Located in Neshanic Station, NJ, the Neshanic Valley Golf Course is the venue where attendees will gather for camaraderie and, yes, competition. Anyone interested in learning golfing techniques, the Learning Academy is for you. However, if you’re not interested in golfing, the chapter invites you to attend the dinner that follows the competition.
College students and college-bound students from three counties in New Jersey (Middlesex, Somerset, and Union) will be the beneficiaries of the proceeds from this event. This year, the chapter will direct proceeds from the golf outing towards their “Finish-line Funding” initiative, which provides financial support for scholarship recipients as they approach graduation. These funds help cover unexpected expenses that can jeopardize a student’s ability to complete their degree.
The event, which is named after former Raritan Valley chapter president, the late Tycene Pirtle Edd. She and her husband, Leon Edd, came up with the vision for this golf tournament. One year ago, “we thought it was befitting to rename (the golf outing) in her honor. Our focus on the outing is to provide scholarships. So in the past, we’ve said it was to support our programs, but this year, we wanted to be more intentional about providing scholarships to what we call Finish Line Funding. And the finish line funding is critical for those of our scholarship recipients who are approaching graduation because, as we know, sometimes young people get to the end of their four years in college and they just need an extra $1,000 to get them across that line,” said Lamyra Clarke-White, chair of the golf outing and former chapter president.
Cara Walker, the current president of the Raritan Valley (NJ) Chapter of the Links, Inc., said, “We look forward to another impactful and inspiring tournament and to celebrating with you on the course. Let’s continue to empower students, strengthen our communities, and enjoy a day of purpose and play. Together, we can help the next generation cross the finish line.”
The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation established in 1946 by Margaret Roselle Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott in Philadelphia. The membership consists of more than 17,000 professional women of color in 299 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom.
In 1986, 23 women from Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties chartered the Raritan Valley (NJ) Chapter as the 213th Chapter of the Links, Inc.
While the links is not one of the Divine Nine organizations, it fits into the space of this column because the chair and co-chair of the golf committee are also members of two Divine Nine organizations: Lamyra Clarke-White, chair of the golf outing, is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Toi Eaton, co-chair of the golf outing is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
They welcome sponsors, players, and donors to contact the chapter for more information at RVCNJ.Golf@gmail.com.