Hugs for Cubs alum Sonya Urzua holds her guitar signed by Taylor Swift.
Under clear, sunny and cool skies, ‘Ster Nation came together at the Montecito Country Club on Wednesday, about three months after winning their third National Baseball Congress (NBC) Championship in five years.
Dedicated volunteer & Host Family Coordinator DJ Cavanaugh, left, with Paul Uyesaka, right
The 12th Annual Santa Barbara Foresters/Hugs for Cubs Turkey Day Shootout was again sold-out with a full field of 144 golfers.
Included in the 36 foursomes playing a scramble format were former Forester players including some still playing in both the minor and major leagues along with board members, civic leaders, sponsors and community friends – with all proceeds benefitting the ‘Sters award-winning Hugs for Cubs program and helping kids and families battling cancer.
The on-course promotions included hole-in-one challenges, closest to the pin and one hole where the drive was actually hitting a baseball with a bat on a baseball tee!
“This is Thanksgiving and a reunion,” said Bill Pintard, longtime and champion head coach, at the reception afterwards.
The top two teams in 2011 were Team Fick and Team Butcher
Pintard introduced this year’s celebrated Cub Sonya Urzua. Her dad informed the large crowd that she ‘was now cancer-free.’ This wonderful news brought a thunderous ovation!
Young Sonya was surprised with a signed guitar from international recording artist Taylor Swift.
Also recognized was the very first Cub, Chris Messier, then a 12-year old battling leukemia and now taking a break as a healthy college student in his 20’s who is attending Santa Barbara City College.
Messier is also the newest inductee into the Foresters Hall of Fame.
With a raffle, silent and live auction along with first-time Adopt-A-Cub pledging, Paul Uyesaka and his golf committee were pulling out all the stops to raise critical funding to field their dreams.
And while 1st Place honors went to the Fick Team (they narrowly beat out Team Butcher by one stroke in the scramble format, 44 to 45), the famed Turkey Ass Award for the last place finisher went to new UCSB Head Baseball Coach Andrew Checketts & Company.
All in all, the day was a great success!
A Grand Slam for those scoring at home.
Forester volunteers Alisa Villanueva & Melissa Comito
A great cause. Mr. Pintard and the Foresters do a great job helping those in need and are a great asset to the Goleta/Santa Barbara community. Congrats to a job well done.