Girl Scouts move forward with fall golf tournament

Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore’s annual Golf Classic benefit is back on after being postponed by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

Originally set for June, the tournament will now take place on Oct. 6 at Rumson Country Club to generate support to help local girls grow and thrive in a new era of Girl Scouting, according to a press release.

“We are thrilled to go forward with a new version of our annual Girl Scout Golf Classic,” said Eileen Higgins, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore, a nonprofit organization that serves approximately 10,000 girls in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

“Now more than ever, we need the community’s support as we reinvent the Girl Scout experience and develop new and safe ways to keep all girls engaged and connected,” she said.

The Golf Classic is one of a handful of charitable events the nonprofit relies on to support its girl-led leadership programs and to ensure access to families facing financial difficulties.

The organization itself faces lost revenue due to program cancellations and delays related to the pandemic and has a need for funding to develop and host virtual and in-person programs that all girls can access, according to the press release.

“We are grateful for the community’s support and we appreciate our volunteers who are leading this fundraising effort to give girls opportunities to become women of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place,” Higgins said.

Returning co-chairs of the Golf Classic are Nina Anuario, senior vice president at OceanFirst Bank, and Victoria Magliacane, senior vice president at Investors Bank.

OceanFirst and Investors are lead sponsors of the event and long-time supporters of Girl Scouts.

Most recently, OceanFirst Bank and Investors Bank each purchased 10,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to help reduce a huge inventory due to cancelled cookie sales related to the pandemic and donated the cookies to essential workers, food banks and other community organizations, according to the press release.

With an emphasis on safety and social distancing, the Golf Classic will feature a round of golf with contests for the players.

Registration will begin at 11:30 a.m. and there will be a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Golfers will enjoy a grab-and-go lunch and the event will end with an open-air dinner reception at the club’s scenic Riverhouse.

Golfers may register individually, or as a twosome or a foursome. Individual tickets are $450 per golfer and may be purchased along with sponsorship opportunities and dinner-only tickets ($100) at www.GSFun.org. For more information, email [email protected] or call 800-785-2090.