Selfridge Valor Cup Teams Female Veterans With LPGA Pros

Selfridge Valor Cup Teams Female Veterans With LPGA Pros

Pro Am On Tuesday, May 20, 2018

Support Community Embraces Veterans, Purpose of Selfridge Valor Cup Golf Event

HARRISON TOWNSHIP –   Mary Lamparter is a volunteer fundraiser for a company that matches up medical service dogs with veterans and welcomes a unique chance to raise awareness for the needs of female military veterans.

“The veteran community is obviously very important, but there are just not that many opportunities to honor just the female veterans and point out the things they go through,” said the Grosse Pointe resident who volunteers for Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs out of Florida.

“The Selfridge Valor Cup was absolutely magnificent last year, the professional golfers were just phenomenal, and I really wanted to be part of it again.”

The Selfridge Valor Cup is being presented on Tuesday at the Selfridge Air National Guard Base golf course, and for the second consecutive year is featuring female military veterans playing free golf with female professional golfers, including some who will be playing in the LPGA Volvik Championship later in the week.

The Eisenhower Center, one of the nation’s leading treatment centers for PTSD and TBI for veterans, is once again partnering with Selfridge Air National Guard Base in the scramble golf outing and dinner.

“This day is all about our female military veterans and giving them a great experience in an effort to raise awareness about their needs,” Eisenhower CEO John Cornack said. “The Eisenhower Center continues to grow its relationship with Selfridge, and that will benefit many more veterans in the future.”

Among the LPGA Tour professional golfers leading scramble teams Tuesday and teeing it up in the LPGA Volvik Championship on Thursday are Michigan’s own Samantha Troyanovich of Grosse Pointe Shores, AJ Newell of Tampa, Fla., and Savannah Vilaubi of Downey, Calif.

Also leading teams will be Michigan Golf Hall of Fame members Elaine Crosby of Jackson and Suzy Green-Roebuck of Ann Arbor.  Crosby and Roebuck are former LPGA Tour players. Crosby had a long career and plays now on the LPGA Legends Tour. Roebuck just two years ago won the Michigan Women’s Open Championship at age 49.

Former LPGA Tour player Connie Ross of St. Joseph, known in her tour days as Connie Masterson, and Sarah Hoffman of Saline, who played in the Volvik Championship two years ago and is currently playing the mini-tour circuit, are also taking part.

Other professionals from Michigan leading teams include Kristina Flynn of Kent Country Club in Grand Rapids, Britni Gielow of  Muskegon, Stephanie Jennings of Meadowbrook Country Club in Northville, Stephany Pawlowsky, the director of golf at Muskegon Country Club, and Emily Rhody of Railside Golf Club in Grand Rapids.

Lamparter has a fundraising event each year in the Detroit area for Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, and in the last two years funds from that event have placed eight specially trained dogs with veterans.

“The dogs are great companions and therapeutic as well as being highly-trained service dogs,” she said. “They help veterans in many different ways.”

The Valor Cup is not a public event, but high-ranking military officials are expected to attend and celebrate the day with the veterans.  The LPGA Volvik Championship is being played Thursday through Sunday at Travis Pointe Country Club in Ann Arbor. Tickets are available at volviklpga.com.

Matt Shepherd will be live with this popular Shep, Shower ‘N’ Shave Michigan Media Network radio show from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Selfridge golf course. The two-time Emmy winner and two-time MSBA Michigan Sportscaster of the Year will talk with and about the veterans, talk with a golfer or two and offer up his usual Michigan sports content.

The U.S. Army Garrison-Detroit Arsenal’s Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation division runs the 18-hole Selfridge golf course. It was established in the late 1940s and is situated at the southeast end of the base flight line. A $2.6 million renovation project in October 1997 resulted in a full-service golf facility, including a practice facility.

via Greg Johnson