Tyndall first sergeant volunteers, wins trip to U.S. Open

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kirsten Wicker
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Tyndall first sergeant Master Sgt. Bill Fortenberry, 325th Air Control Squadron, recently volunteered his time with the 7th Annual Bob Hope Memorial Classic Golf Tournament May 14 and 15 in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., to benefit the Air Force Enlisted Village.

Golfers in the tournament pay an entry fee to play and this year, volunteers were tasked to sell tickets for a drawing to win an all-expenses paid trip to the 2010 U.S. Open Golf Championship in Pebble Beach, Calif.

"The purpose of having the drawing and the tournament is to provide financial support for maintenance, upkeep and replacing things that need to be replaced or fixed on our campuses," said Mr. Jim Binnicker, president and CEO of the Air Force Enlisted Village. "We do have several smaller fundraisers throughout the year, but the golf tournament is the biggest event of the year."

As the Air Force Sergeants Association Tyndall chapter president, Sergeant Fortenberry volunteered to sell ten tickets at $20 each. He sold eight and bought two for himself.

"The Village relies on donations to operate so they need volunteers to help out there," Sergeant Fortenberry said. "The sale of tickets for the drawing helps to support them; it's for a good cause."

On the day of the drawing, an Enlisted Village resident widow of a World War II B-17 aerial gunner drew one of Sergeant Fortenberry's tickets from the basket wheel to drum roll and applause.

"It was really great - most everyone knows Sergeant Fortenberry around here so we were real happy he won the trip," Mr. Binnicker said. "He does great stuff for AFSA and for us. He brings volunteers from Tyndall's Active Airmen's Association to help out around the village and he's a local guy everyone knows."

The winning ticket earned Sergeant Fortenberry and his brother, a resident of Ft. Walton Beach and a golf fan, the trip to Pebble Beach. Airfare, rental car, lodging, meals and Trophy Club passes were all included.

"It was pretty special getting to go on the trip of a lifetime with my brother," said Sergeant Fortenberry. "I was honored to go and represent the Air Force and the Enlisted Village at such a prestigious and well-known sporting event like the U.S. Open."

The Air Force Enlisted Village hosts the charity golf tournament to raise funds to support the maintenance and upkeep of the Village whose three campuses provide housing and living assistance to nearly 450 widows and widowers of Air Force members. This year the tournament raised $41,000 in funds and the drawing raised nearly $7,000.

"We want this event to be the tournament everyone wants to play in, so when people hear about it, they jump at the chance to sign up and play," said Mr. Binnicker.

In addition, the Air Force Sergeants Association, Tyndall chapter raised enough funds to send two teams to play in the tournament. Colonel Craig Hall, 325th Maintenance Group commander, Master Sgt. Jeffery Large, 325th Civil Engineer Squadron first sergeant, Tech. Sgt. Ralph Moseley, 325th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and Airman Jeremy Looney, 325th AMXS made up Team Tyndall, finishing first overall. The longest drive competition was won by Colonel Hall.  

"It's a chance to give back to those who went before us and gave their lives for our country," Sergeant Fortenberry said. "The member might be gone, but their family is still here and we are still taking care of them."

The two-day tournament was the most successful to date, Mr. Binnicker added.

"We were able to pay for the cost of the trip to the U.S. Open and still earned enough to provide support to the Village," Mr. Binnicker said. "The Air Force prides itself on taking care of its own. This was just a continuation of what we do for our families."

Next year, the tournament will be May 14-15, 2011. It is open to the public and anyone can register to play.