Benefit Aims to Raise Money for Technology for Students

Not all Forsyth County students have Internet access at home. That’s one thing a former teacher hopes to help tackle with a new fundraiser.

The first annual Forsyth PTA Golf Benefit aims to raise money for the county PTA’s Bring Your Own Technology initiative. As part of that program, PTA members want to purchase hot spots that students could check out of their schools and take home to use for schoolwork.

“The school district programs them so kids can’t get on certain sites and so they can only use them during certain hours,” said Peggie Morrow, the event’s organizer. “They’re pretty cool because they have a pretty big broadband with them. It could possibly give Internet access to other homes around as well. It’s just an amazing little thing. It will give them the opportunity to have quite a few of them.”

Morrow is hoping to get 72 golfers signed up for the event, but she’s not putting a number on the amount she wants to raise.

“When we started this, we thought, ‘Gosh, if we could raise $1,000, that would be fun and we could get a device or two.’ This has just exploded. It probably will be one of the premier events of the year. We’re just thrilled. It’s really exciting.”

Golfers will get t-shirts, hats and coolers, among other items, and a cookout will be provided after the match.

“The golfers are going to make out like bandits,” Morrow said. “They’re going to get a really nice package.”

In addition to raising funds through sponsorships and golfer entrance fees, the event will include two raffles. The golfer’s raffle will feature items like golf clubs, signed flags and gift cards, and all money raised will go to the county PTA to be dispersed to schools. A student raffle will feature items like Blackberries, smart phones and Kindles, and each school will keep 100 percent of the money raised by its students.

“If they sell 100 tickets at $10 a piece, they’ll get $1,000 to do whatever that want,” Morrow said. “We ask that they use it for technology, but if there’s a bigger need, they can use it how they want.”

The Forsyth PTA Golf Benefit is scheduled for Sept. 16 at Hampton Golf Village. Registration is at 9:30 a.m., and a shotgun start is slated for 11 a.m. Entrance is $500 for a 4-person team or $125 for an individual golfer.

Tickets may be purchased at Morrow Family Medicine near Northside Hospital-Forsyth. For more information, email peggiemorrow@gmail.com or go online to http://www.forsythptagolf.org.

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