- April 24, 2024
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Lakewood Ranch's Kevin Conway, Sarasota's Dean Anderson, tournament honoree Christopher Gordon, service dog Blaze and Heritage Harbor's Nick Gyeszat go off the first tee at the fifth annual Rosedale Golf Classic April 4.
Rosedale's Kate and Robert Keegan get ready to tee off. "We just don't know what they go through," Kate says of the veterans.
Rosedale's Mike Zinn says (about the disabled veterans) "What impresses me is how they've grown. They are doing all the things young men and women should be doing."
Tournament organizers Deb Kehoe and Kathi Skelton flank Staff Sgt. Christopher Gordon, who was being honored by the tournament.
Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Gordon lost his right leg above the knee and has a permanent rod in his left leg after his infantry vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Iraq.
The sign says it all for an event that broke the $100,000 raised mark for the first time.
Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Gordon hugs his service dog, Blaze, before the tourney.
A silent auction was ongoing all during the tournament.
Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Gordon will get the key to his new home on Saturday in Groveland from Homes for Our Troops.
Staff Sgt. Christopher Gordon is delivered in a 1966 Thunderbird by Tony Milen, whose Clear Sunset Car Wash is a tournament sponsor.
Staff Sgt. Christopher Gordon says he tees it up often, but mostly in scramble events.
The Rosedale Golf Classic tournament field pauses for the National Anthem.
Bradenton's Jennifer Jordan sings The National Anthem before the Rosedale Golf Classic.
Rosedale's Debby Sunkenberg, Linda Geller and Linda Meliani were part of the sold-out field of 144 golfers.
Staff Sgt. Andrew Whitaker, right, was in charge of the honor guard from MacDill Air Force Base. He says, "We visit a lot of communities where we see support like this. It's an honor to be here."
Christopher Gordon tees off on the first hole. He says being a Homes for Our Troops recipient and being honored by the tournament is "the dream week of my life."
A motorcycle procession led honoree Christopher Gordon to the course.
For the second time, Christopher Gordon is going through an experience that will change his life.
The first one was horrific. An Army Staff Sergeant in 2005, Gordon was riding in his infantry vehicle with four fellow soldiers in Iraq when it was hit by an improvised explosive device. Three of the soldiers, including Gordon, were severely injured.
Gordon lost his right leg above his knee and his left leg has been held together by a rod ever since. The rest of his body was "chewed" up, leaving him with scar tissue. After a year in the hospital, he went about his life.
This Saturday, his life will change again. Homes for Our Troops will present Gordon the key to a specially adapted home in Groveland. That effort was made possible, in part, by money raised by the Rosedale Golf Classic Wednesday at the Rosedale Golf & Country Club.
Gordon was being honored by the tournament, which has been run all five of its years by Rosedale's Kathi and John Skelton and Deb and Jim Kehoe. This year's field of 144 golfers sold out in half a day on March 2. Of the field, 70% live in Rosedale.
The tournament raised $12,000 for Homes for Our Troops in its first year. This year's tournament broke $100,000 for the first time on Wednesday. The exact total won't be calculated for a few days.
Before teeing off in the tournament, Gordon addressed the field of golfers.
"This is like the dream week of my life," Gordon said as he held his service dog, Blaze. "This is the happy stuff you should hear more of on the news."
Gorden admitted there were times when he was in the hospital when he wondered if anyone cared.
"This stuff helps," he said of the community support. "It's amazing and it pulls at your heartstrings. It shows that everything I went through wasn't unappreciated. It shows people do care."
Rosedale's Mike Zinn was one of the golfers who do care.
"This (tournament) is a tremendous tribute to our service men and women who protect us," Zinn said. "I think people realize the need (for groups such as Homes for Our Troops). But we need to do more."
