The SCORE 2015 Issue 3 | Page 9

MEMBER NEWS The Cekander Group Tees off for Special Olympics of Illinois T he Cekander Group hosted their seventh annual charity golf outing May 21. This highly anticipated event provides participants an opportunity to enjoy themselves on the green while raising funds for an honorable cause. Owner Doug Cekander has hosted the event for the past several years to raise money for Special Olympics Illinois. This year’s event was well-attended, with contributions totaling more than $23,000. “We are proud to be a part of a community that embraces such a great cause,” said Cekander. “Sports are a large part of what we do and we are happy to support Special Olympics Illinois.” The outing took place at the Weaver Ridge Golf Course in Peoria, Illinois. The tournament included 18 holes of golf, contests for hole-in-one, longest drive and closest to the pin, and eight different beverage samplings throughout the course. This year’s main sponsor of the event was Peoria-based RJ Distributing. An after-party followed at the Buffalo Wild Wings® in Peoria where golfers were provided food and drink from the restaurant. Raffle prizes from various vendors and local businesses were also given away during the festivities. A new addition to the golf outing agenda included a live auction, which was well-received by the event's attendees. Items included a three-night stay in Riviera Maya, Mexico, golf for four at the Olympia Fields and Black Sheep Country Clubs, a three-night stay in St. Pete Beach, Florida, and a coveted trip to the 2016 Master’s Golf Tournament. S 7 SCORE | 2015 Issue 3 THE