Five years later: Fowler, ‘Clothes For Kids' campaign still strong
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Cody Warmoth and Kobe Watson teed off on a warm and sunny Thursday afternoon at the Shawnee Hills Country Club. The two friends battled for nine holes, and while both were rewarded with trophies, Warmoth took home the top prize.
Yet, Thursday's swings were not about wins, losses or scores. Instead, the biggest prize was what was raised for the United Way of Saline County's 'Clothes For Kids' junior golf tournament.
More than 120 youngsters swung their drivers and tapped their putters to help put clothes on the backs and shoes on the feet for those in need in Saline County.
Warmoth, a high school senior from Fisher, Ill., said he felt good about his day on the green because it went toward a good cause.
"I played a solid round. Putted and hit the ball good, so I'm happy," he said. "But I'm happy I played well and gave back to charity."
Watson, who said he has played in the tournament for three years, said he enjoyed teeing off against a friend for the charity, even though he did not claim the championship title.
"He played better and he deserves it. But I'm happy I played well and gave back to the charity," he said.
Dale Fowler, who serves as the president of the United Way of Saline County, said he is surprised and pleased with the growth of the golf tournament, which raised about $16,000 last year. Fowler said the tournament has helped supply more than 750 kids with shoes and clothes since the tournament's inception.
When the tournament began, Fowler said he hoped to have about 30 children participate and raise between $400 and $500. Instead, Fowler was greeted by nearly 60 children who helped raise $1,500 in its inaugural campaign.
Fowler said he was inspired to put on such an event because of his child hood.
"I can remember when I was a kid, I lived outside of Eldorado and I can remember getting off the beaten path of the school bus and picking these kids up, and them running out of the house with rags on and tennis shoes that can hardly stay on their feet," Fowler recalls. "That always kind of bothered me, so we wanted to do something special with the United Way. We wanted to start a 'Clothes For Kids' project we could actually work along with the schools in the area and the teachers because they know."
With the help of People's National Bank, which donated the t-shirts and awards for each participating child and 35 other community sponsors, Fowler is seeing his vision of helping everyone in the community develop before his own eyes.
Fowler said he credits the community's involvement in the tournament, along with the participation by local children for the tournament's growth and subsequent success.
"It's more than just these kids out here, these kids are what makes this event, there's no question about that. It's our community support that is supplying us and helping us do what we do," he said. "We live in an amazing community. "
And while Southern Illinois and the rest of the nation continue to plug away as the economy attempts to recover, Fowler said he is pleased that charitable donations to the United Way continue to roll in.
"It is tough times, but it's amazing that you still have people that will reach back. A lot of companies have had to curtail their spending and their charity donations, but I think it seems as though to me that this is one they still try to prioritize."