Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston’s annual charity golf tournament has raised about half a million dollars in three years to help people experiencing homelessness in Guilford County – with this year’s tournament bringing in an estimated $125,000 to $130,000.
The third annual Melvin “Skip” Alston Golf Classic drew 192 golfers and more than 45 volunteers to Grandover Resort on Monday, Nov. 9.
Alston said he was still waiting on the final count when he spoke with the Rhino Times this week.
“It was a really wonderful day,” Alston said.
The first tournament in 2024 raised $175,000 on a goal of $100,000, according to figures Alston gave the Rhino Times at that time. He put last year’s proceeds at about $200,000 in the latest interview. The 2025 tournament’s fundraising page showed $223,907 raised against a $200,000 goal.
This year’s proceeds are going to the United Way to battle homelessness.
The 2026 incarnation of the tournament brought out more golfers than last year – even though it brought in less money. Alston said some contractors and other businesses that had sponsored the tournament in the past told him they couldn’t give as much this time around.
“They just said they couldn’t do as much as they did last year,” he said. “And I understood that.”
He said that the bad economy, high gas prices and other financial hurdles facing businesses and individuals this year hurt their ability to give.
One good thing is that, this year, in 2026, the golfers finally caught a break on the weather. Last year’s tournament had already been pushed back two weeks because of a forecast for rain. Alston said it was still 38 degrees and raining when they finally played that year, and 183 golfers still showed up out of about 225 who had signed up.
This year, Alston said, the weather was “excellent.”
Golfers came from Charlotte, Raleigh and Fayetteville, among other places. Koury Corporation and Greensboro developer Roy Carroll each sponsored three teams, Alston said.
The top sponsorship cost $10,000, and players could also pay to enter a putting contest.
Alston said that Frank McCain brought the proposal to the United Way board, which approved it, and McCain came out to the tournament.
The golf classic got started when a group of local business owners approached Alston about putting his name on a tournament. As Alston recalled it, the organizers initially wanted to raise money to help small businesses. He told them he’d lend his name if the proceeds went to a cause he felt strongly about.
“I would do it and use my name, but it has to go to a cause that I’m passionate about,” Alston said. “And that’s the homeless.”
Skip away with your money Alston is a walking joke and doesn’t care about anybody but himself!! I don’t believe for a second that anyone approached him. I think he came up with the idea so it would make him look important. When are the people in Guilford County gonna wake up and stop voting for him. Smh.