PLAST - CHICAGO Celebrates 20th Annual Golf Classic & Luau

ROUND LAKE PARK, IL – Golfers from across the nation gathered on a cool Indian Summer morning Saturday September 8th, 2018, for the very popular and highly anticipated  Plast–Chicago Open Charity Golf Classic, held at the Renwood Golf Course in Round Lake Beach, Illinois, the same location where the inaugural Plast-Chicago Golf Outing kicked off 20 years ago.  For the last two decades over a thousand participants have been coming from all corners of the USA, including:  California, Colorado, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia/Washington D.C., and Florida, to take part in this very successful and well–attended charity golf tournament and festivities hosted by the Chicago-based Plast Pobratymy fraternity. 

Using a team scramble format to engage the 60 men and women golfers, this outing provided an opportunity for participants to enjoy friendly competition and great camaraderie surrounded by beautiful natural surroundings.  The fun continued with the customary post–golf reception, banquet and festivities held at the nearby Ukrainian Youth Camping Organization’s (UYCO) “Oselia” Plast campground, held outdoors and lakeside under the beautiful evening skies, with a lavish traditional Hawaiian Luau and Pig Roast dinner, along with music and dancing.  Many friends and families from the Chicagoland community joined in these festivities and afterwards the award winners were announced.

The “Lowest Score” tournament was won by: (tie) team of - Denys Pileckyj, Andrij Rud, Markian Dziuk, Marko Iwanik, and the team of - Roman Mycyk, Mary Mycyk, Tyler Hall, George Kuritza. The Men’s and Women’s “Longest Drive” competitions were won by: Tyler Hall (305 yds.)and Mary Mycyk (220 yds.), while the Men’s and Women’s “Closest To The Pin” contest by:  Markian Dziuk and Mary Mycyk.   The “Putting Contest” was won by: (tie) Yuriy Striltschuk and Ivac Derkach.  Winning the 50/50 Charity Raffle was Marijka Dykun – who promptly donated back all the winning proceeds.

As usual, 100% of the proceeds from this year’s event will provide continued financial support for Plast and The Pobratymy Foundation, a not–for–profit 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt corporation, established in 1992, by members of the Plast Pobratymy fraternity.  Over the past 26 years, the foundation has raised over $ 300,000 to further the principles of Plast and Ukrainian scouting to Plast chapters in USA, Canada, Germany and Ukraine. 

The Pobratymy Foundation and this tournament’s organizer would like to express enormous gratitude to all of our wonderful volunteers and sponsors for their support, generosity, and commitment, as they are the life-blood of our annual charity event, including:  Oleh Hanowsky, Areta Kuritza, Andrij Durbak, Katrusia and Roman Saldan, Ihor Hrynewycz, Antin Durbak, Marko Iwanik, Oleh Sajewych, George A. Kuritza, as well as the Selfreliance Foundation of the Selfreliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union in Chicago.

The 21st Anniversary Plast Chicago Golf Classic will be held next year on Saturday September 7th, 2019, at an undetermined location.  Follow us on: www.Pobratymy.org.

George Kuritza