Event honors staunch Y supporter

Larry Penkava
Staff Writer

ASHEBORO May 08, 2008 06:15 pm

— The eighth annual Sam Bossong Memorial Golf Tournament, Dinner and Auction will take place May 9 at Asheboro Country Club.
Bossong died in November 1999 in a four-wheeler accident. A member of an Asheboro industrial family, he was a staunch supporter of the Randolph-Asheboro YMCA, volunteering as a coach and board member and providing monetary assistance. According to a release by the hosting Asheboro Junior Women's Club (AJWC), Bossong was "full of life and personality" and an avid golfer, and his friends wanted to hold a golf tournament to embody his spirit.
"This is a way for Sam's friends to come together ... and help his spirit live on," said Christie Luckenback, who helps coordinate the event.
"All proceeds go to maintenance and renovations of the YMCA," she said, noting earnings from last year's tournament and auction were used for concrete steps on the hillside from the YMCA parking lot to the children's playground. The playground has been a project of the Sam Bossong Memorial Golf Tournament, and the AJWC hopes to add pieces for smaller children.
Luckenbach said plans for the future are to buy playground equipment for handicapped children, thus making recreation available for all children to enjoy.
The Junior Women are also hoping to partner with Trees Asheboro for plantings at the playground, Luckenbach said.
Check-in time for the golf tournament is noon to 12:30 p.m. Chick-fil-A is providing sandwiches for the players.
A social hour and silent auction is at 6 p.m., and dinner will be at about 7. The live auction will begin shortly after.
"The Asheboro Junior Women's Club works so hard on this," said Luckenbach. "We have 100 percent participation. Our community is awesome" in its support of the event.
The AJWC became official hosts of the Sam Bossong Memorial Golf Tournament after the first year. Several women in Bossong's family are former AJWC members.
The auction includes a wide array of treasures, a sampling of which includes a one-year family membership at the YMCA, four nights in a seven-bedroom home at Manteo, use of a Badin Lake home for one week, a week's stay in a Cherry Grove condo, a landscape by Joseph Duke, a smile package by Dr. Grant Haviland, Klaussner Home Furnishings living room suite, a one-on-one with Ben Owen III at his pottery studio, a two-hour cooking class for four at Timothy's Restaurant and a UNC autographed basketball.
Donations have been provided by Chick-fil-A, Silver Eagle, AVS Catering, Randleman Wal-Mart and Lowe's Foods, as well as accommodations by Asheboro Country Club. The Junior Women's Club of Asheboro also recognizes the support of Eric Luckenbach, Jeff Davis and Lee Roberts, and the YMCA staff and board.