Columnist Peter Benton: Child Seekers reap benefits of tourney

Peter Benton

Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2001 | 10:39 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

Thirty-two four-person teams teed it up last week at the demanding Royal Links Golf Club for the fifth annual "Fairway to the Future" golf tournament.

Hosted by KVVU-Fox TV's Rusty Durante, this event, which was played under gorgeous weather conditions, benefited Nevada Child Seekers.

Format for the tourney was each person of each foursome played their own ball until it was holed, recording the net score. Lowest net score (with full handicap) of the foursome was the team score for that hole.

Winning overall low net honors with a 24-under par 48 was the team of Dave Kistlen, Mark Carpi, Doug Day and Dave Hunter. Dave Heraty's foursome of Jim Farino, Steve Ashkinos and Ray Tognotti were second at net 51.

Brian Waters and his even-par 72 garnered low gross honors, with Jim Farino's 60 winning low net.

The people and organizations who put so much time and effort into this event include Durante, Cox Communications, Wells Fargo, Meredith Broadcasting Group and Billy Walters, who generously donated his Royal Links Layout for the day.

Nevada Child Seekers each year fingerprints thousands of area youngsters and provides their parents with free Child Identification Kits. It also conducts safety programs and prevention education campaigns in area schools, provides assistance to parents of "at risk" youngsters and conducts community anti-gang/drug seminars in cooperation with local schools, law enforcement, and parent-child care groups.

The ongoing and constant need for education rides high on the Nevada Child Seekers agenda. It is pleasing to report that this organization's dedication to locating missing, abducted or runaway children was the recipient of $48,000 from this tournament.