A large portion of the money went to the Colorado Springs Police Protective Association Fallen Officer Relief Fund

The Gleneagle Sertoma Club presented a $12,500 check to the Colorado Springs Police Protective Association Fallen Officer Relief Fund on July 21 during a luncheon ceremony.

The money was a direct result of proceeds raised from the club’s 2020 Patriot Golf Benefit. The Sertoma club raised about $25,000 from the tournament, with the Fallen Officer Relief Fund, or FORF, receiving the largest portion.

“We are extremely appreciate,” said Sherryl Dillon, the executive director of the FORF. “The Gleneagle Sertoma Club is really our primary sponsor.

“We have designated and non-designated donations. The money we receive today is non-designated, meaning we can use it if an emergency arises in the community, like if an officer is injured and his or her family need immediate funds.”

Visit fallen-officer-relief-fund.org/index.html or call 719-634-0058 to contribute.

The FORF is a 501©3 organization and will be partnering with the Gleneagle Sertoma Club for the third year during the Patriot Golf Benefit.

John Coyle, the Patriot Golf Benefit tournament chairman, said Gleneagle Sertoma spends many months planning its annual tournament.

“We focus a lot of the revenue that we receive on first responders,” Coyle said. “It’s been that way since the beginning back in 2002 when we had our first event.

Other local organizations that received a portion of funds raised from the 2020 tournament were the Home Front Military Network, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Foundation and several local charities.

The Gleneagle Sertoma Club started the Patriot Golf Benefit in 2002 as a way to pay tribute to the brave first responders in the Pikes Peak region who serve on the front lines to keep our communities safe.

The club’s response was to 9/11.

This year’s Patriot Golf benefit will be the 20th annual event. It will take place Sept. 14 at the Club at the 18-hole Flying Horse North course.

The new Phil Smith-designed course opened late last year and is located in and near the edge of the Black Forest. Twothirds of the course is played in the woods, while the other one-third is played on the prairie.

The course also features a 19th hole, which is commonly called the “betting hole.”

Coyle said he expects upwards of 128 golfers (about 32 teams) for the event that will again benefit first responders. The tournament has a shotgun start.

“Our tournament is more popular than it’s ever been,” Coyle said. The last three or four years we’ve made more money than we’ve ever made. Last year during COVID, we raised our record number.

“We credit people stepping up and showing their support of our first responders. At least the local level we live in an area where people are very supportive of the police and military.”

Over the years, the tournament has been played at such courses at Kissing Camels and the Air Force Academy.

The Gleneagle Sertoma Club supports 18 non-profits in the Colorado Springs area. Gleneagle Sertoma, of Sertoma International, is a 501©3 non-profit organization.