Gator Club kicks off with scholarship fundraiser

The Citrus County Gator Club (CCGC) held its annual Scholarship Fundraiser Kick-off Party Aug. 26 at the Citrus County Auditorium in Inverness.

The CCGC is part of the University of Florida Alumni Association and is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. The primary mission of the Gator Club is to award a $1,500 scholarship to a University of Florida-bound senior from each of Citrus County's high schools. With the CCGC Charles R. Bellamy Endowment Fund, which awards a $1,500 scholarship to community college student transferring the University of Florida, the Citrus County Gator Club this year awarded $12,000 in scholarship funds to eight University of Florida-bound students from Citrus County.

The Citrus County Gator Club's ability to increase its scholarship level, in large part, was due to the success of the Swamp Scramble held at the Black Diamond Ranch Quarry Golf Course last May. The founder, and director of the Swamp Scramble, President-elect Clint Collins, said the CCGC raised over $19,000 the first time out. Collins looks forward to even greater success next year when the Scramble is moved to Saturday, May 5, 2018.

This year, the scholarship recipients were: Paisley Peyton and Rachel Ramm, Citrus High School; Kelly Laplante and Patrick Brennan, Crystal River High School; Ajay Patel and Kaitlynn Weidner, Lecanto High School; and Anabelle Gardner, Seven Rivers Christian. Tarolyn Plumley, from the College of Central Florida, won the CCGC Charles R. Bellamy Endowment Scholarship. Since 1987, the local club has awarded 104 scholarships.

WYKE'ss Dennis Miller was master of ceremonies for the kickoff party, which opened with the presentation of the colors by the Citrus High School Air Force ROTC and the National Anthem, sung by Citrus High School Breeze. Rod Fischer, Region III vice president of the University of Florida Alumni Association Gator Clubs, explained the importance of the honor that the Citrus County Gator Club has won for the second consecutive year, the Most Outstanding Mid-Size Club in the state. Fischer also congratulated Mike DeLucia for winning the Leader of the Year award for all the Gator Clubs in the nation.

Corporate table sponsors, vital to the CCGC's scholarship fundraising, were Fancy's Pets, River Region Animal Hospital, Eagle Buick GMC, Brannen Bank, F.O. Brigade LLC., Nick Nicholas Ford and Everclear Pool Service & Repair Inc. with two tables.

Attendees enjoyed raffles, a silent auction organized by Wayne Crump, and Pam Padgett's grab bags. As usual, people savored the barbecued pulled pork prepared by CCGC President Bob Padgett.

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