On Monday, Nov. 10, the weather conditions were really bad, unseasonably so: The temperature was below freezing in the morning and it was windy with gusts of wind up to 14 miles per hour. But that didn’t stop a charity golf tournament from going on and raising a whole lot of money for one of the county’s most recalcitrant problems.
The 2025 Melvin “Skip” Alston Golf Classic To Benefit The Homeless raised more than $200,000 – a remarkable turnout and an impressive fundraising total considering the weather that greeted golfers Monday morning at Grandover Resort.
When Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston arrived early that morning, he found freezing temperatures, a gray sky and a course so dreary he wondered if anyone would show up.
Two weeks earlier the tournament had already been postponed due to expected heavy rain, so organizers felt they had little choice but to go ahead this time no matter what. Still, with the air hovering around freezing, Alston admitted later that he was worried.
He didn’t need to be: Though 220 golfers had signed up, an impressive 185 bundled up and played – a turnout Alston said meant a great deal given the cause and the conditions.
According to event organizers, the tournament brought in well over $200,000, which will go to help the homeless in Guilford County.
That figure makes the second year of the Alston Classic even more successful than the first. When the tournament debuted last year, it was launched by a group of local business leaders who approached Alston about creating a charitable event in his name.
Alston agreed on the condition that every dollar raised go to help the homeless.
The inaugural outing last year set a $100,000 goal and easily surpassed it. This year’s total more than doubled that and also bested its goal.
At the Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, Nov. 20, Alston spoke proudly about the tournament and about the golfers who showed up despite the cold. He told commissioners and others in the meeting room that he was amazed so many people came out to support the cause, and that the spirit on the course was upbeat even as players battled their way through one of the coldest mornings of the fall.
Grandover officials noted that the Alston Classic was the largest tournament they’ve ever hosted – even with the harsh weather and with the earlier postponement.
Alston said the success gives him confidence that next year’s turnout will be even stronger.
Two years ago, Alston made addressing homelessness one of the county’s top priorities and, while the golf tournament was a private sector affair, Guilford County government has undertaken several major initiatives in recent years to address the problem.
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Good job !
Everyone has it in them to do the right thing. Those who do not should be encouraged to do just that.
today, many people are motivated by money and power. Truly, most everyone has a price. “What’s in it for me?”
How much of Prince Alston’s namesake show actually goes to the the homeless. Show us hard, accurate numbers, or better yet a full breakdown of the expenses.
Amen!!
Yeah right, you are kidding aren’t you.
Yeah, did you see the previous photo op with all the Trophies on the table? Did they pay for them or were they donated? Were the green fees deducted from that? I am sure they were fed very well, was that deducted? Where exactly is the money going, to one of Skip’s non-profit buddies? Show me the money.
Wait, your assumption is that fundraising events shouldn’t have any costs? Weird. Good luck with that strategy at the next fundraising event YOU host. What was the charity event YOU were hosting again Mike?
No Chris it’s obvious that everything has a cost, even fund raising. I’m pretty sure the subject is where does the profit go after expenses. Skip could put a lot of suspensions to bed if he would provide a good detailed accounting of money taken in, expenses, profits and what groups received said profit. But just like his downtown money pit museum we will never see an actual accounting
Was poking at Mike challenging Trophies at a golf tournament as if that was some type of corruption? Who has a golf tournament without trophies?
Why do you think his charity owes you an accounting? Can’t see the comparison to his charity and the museum downtown (which yes is a fantasy of Skip’s that it will ever make money). If I understand the article, he didn’t start the charity event but loaned his name and participation. Right?
build homeless shelters on these golf courses ? in thirty years