Submitted Photo Center Mutual Insurance golfers Jaden Pfeifer, Tory Danielson, Hannah Voeller and Lance Zietz smile after their first place finish at the 23rd Annual Good Samaritan Hospital Association Charity Golf Classic.

Thirty teams took to the Rugby Golf Course July 16 to have fun for a good cause at the 23rd Annual Good Samaritan Hospital Association Charity Golf Classic.

“This is always a fun tournament,” said Darcy Rose, the association’s foundation director as she stepped off her golf cart.

Rose said 30 golf teams from Rugby and as far away as Fargo participated in the event, each sponsored by an area business. Other businesses showed their support by sponsoring holes, water hazards, the leader boards and even the outhouse on the course.

The sponsored outhouse served to remind golfers of the tournament’s purpose. Money raised went to “Operation Restroom Rescue,” a humorous name for a campaign to raise money to remodel the first floor restrooms at Heart of America Medical Center to comply with requirements in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Even HAMC CEO Erik Christenson found time away from Zoom meetings to get in a few rounds of golf.

“It’s great to get away for a bit and get staff involved,” Christenson said of the tournament, where hospital staff served as volunteers to keep players fed and hydrated.

“Ever since I’ve been at the hospital in Rugby, it’s been a day when the hospital empties out except for the required staff (needed to make it run),” Christenson, who had worked for many years as a hospital pharmacist said.

“I’m not a golfer, so this is only my second time here,” Christenson added. “I’ve always picked up shifts (on tournament day). I always worked. I’m not the golfer, and all my coworkers at the pharmacy were golfers, so they would golf and I would work,” he said.

Christenson said he could bow out of the tournament as a pharmacist, “but now that I’m the CEO, they say I have to do this,” he added, smiling. “I like doing it. Golfing for me is a lot of fun, but I’m not good at it,” he laughed.

Rose said she was happy the weather cooperated for the golfers. “Our weather turned around. We had a storm coming in but it fell apart before it got here and that was a blessing in disguise, so it’s going to be a great day.”

Teams took the course in three flights, or groups, with the top two teams in each group named as winners. Individual golfers also won titles such as Best Dressed and Longest Drive. Swanson Construction, who finished in 23rd place, received special recognition to mark the tournament’s 23rd year. “We called it the ‘Flushed Out’ Award,” Rose quipped.

As golfers alternately ribbed and encouraged each other on the green, Christenson said he was glad to spend at least a little time on the course before heading back to more meetings.

“Darcie’s done a great job putting this together,” Christenson said. “The community loves this and it’s a great event.”

“It’s my first rodeo and I have to thank my volunteers for helping out, as well as my committee on the planning efforts,” Rose said, noting she had taken the post over from Cathy Jelsing, who retired earlier in the year. “It’s one of the biggest tournaments of the year in Rugby, so we’re really happy to have all of our sponsors.”

Winners in the tournament were:

First place First Flight – Center Mutual Insurance 54

Second place First Flight – Rugby Dental 57

First place Second Flight – NoDak Insurance 63

Second place Second Flight – Envision 64

First place Third Flight – Rugby Manufacturing 68

Second place Third Flight – Anderson Funeral Home 69

Shortest Drive – Thea Clark

Women’s Longest Drive – Amber St. Claire

Men’s Longest Drive – Jaden Pfiefer

Closest to the pin 2nd shot Men – Danny Schneider

Closest to the pin 2nd shot Women – Hannah Voeller

On the Green men – Gary Myhre

On the Green women – Anne Leier

Best Dressed Team – Rugby Electric

23rd Place – Mike Swanson Construction

Sponsoring the tournament were:

Scheels, Bremer Bank, First International Bank and Trust, Anderson Funeral Home, Heart of America Clinic Pharmacy, Center Mutual Insurance, Merchants Bank and Brokers 12

Hole Sponsors:

St. Michel Furniture, Envision, Rugby Insurance, B Clean, Rugby Jaycees, Alerus Financial

Outhouse sponsor – First International Bank and Trust

Beverage Cart Sponsor – Mike Swanson Construction

Water Hazard Sponsor – H.E. Everson

Sand Trap Sponsor – B&J Excavating

Leaderboard Sponsors:

Richard and Susan Anderson, Drive Chevy Buick – Rugby, Joy Dental Design, MJ McGuire, Marchus Insurance, North Star Community Credit Union, Ottertail Power Company, Rugby Broadcasters, Rugby Dental and Rugby Manufacturing

Contest Prize Donors:

Home of Economy, Leevers Foods, Rugby Hardware Hank, First International Bank and Trust

$100 Donors:

Brossart Business & Tax Service, Childress Crop Insurance, Erik & Sarah Christenson, Farm Credit Services, Gooseneck Implement, Harper Oil, NDTC Dollars in Motion, Niewoehner Funeral Home, Rugby Electric, Rugby Lumber, Rugby Veterinary Service, The Jeneral Store, James and Debra Hoffert and Vaaler Insurance Inc.

Door Prize Donations:

HAMC Auxilary, Rugby Greenhouse, Medora Foundation, and Bottineau Country Club

$50 Donor:

Northern Plains Electric Co-op

Other sponsors: IC Dubbles, Northside Lounge, Lee’s Bar, 3rd Street Station and Main Street Boutique.