Machinists Union golf tournament raises $15,000 for charity

REDMOND — Some 200 golfers took part in the 21st annual Guide Dogs of America Charity Golf Tournament, which raised nearly $15,000 for the charity.

The team of Ryan Gjersee, Kyle Havener, Matt O’Brien and Kyle Wenger won a one-hole playoff to win the best-ball tournament, which was held July 21 at Willows Run.

"We had a really great tournament this year,” said Jon Holden, who was part of the organizing committee for Machinists Union District Lodge 751, which sponsors the tournament. “The people at Willows Run were great to work with, and we had some great sponsors and a really strong team of volunteers who put it all together.”

The money raised at the tournament will benefit Guide Dogs of America, a California-based charity that provides service dogs, and training in their use, free of charge to people who are blind or have impaired vision from across the United States and Canada.

District 751 is the top fundaiser across North America for the charity. Over the past four years, the union has raised more than $1 million for Guide Dogs of America, including a record $299,000 in 2012.

Originally formed in 1935 to represent hourly workers at the Boeing Co., District Lodge 751 of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers now represents more than 33,000 working men and women at 49 employers across Washington, Oregon and California.

To learn more about District 751, follow the Machinists News.