May 13, 2002
Georgetown minister wins hole-in-one challenge
___Miranda Bradley
___Texas Baptist Children's Home
___ROUND ROCK--It has taken 10 years for Texas Baptist Children's Home to give away a brand-new Chevy truck.
___As part of its annual Children at Heart Golf Marathon, the children's home joined with Henna Chevrolet of Austin to offer a new truck to any player who would sink a hole-in-one. This year, during the 10th anniversary of the 100-hole-in-a-day marathon, Dale Wilbur struck gold.
___It was the first time for Wilbur, music minister at First Baptist Church in Georgetown, to play the marathon. He lined up his shot on the No. 8 hole at Berry Creek Country Club in Georgetown, gripped his seven iron and stroked the ball 165 yards.
DALE Wilbur (left), shakes hands with Louis Henna, owner of Henna Chevrolet in Austin.
___What happened next was a blur.
___"I can't believe it," he shouted, as he ran in circles, trying to catch his breath.
___Jay Riley, director of development for Texas Baptist Children's Home & Family Services, looked on as Wilbur ran the gamut of emotions.
___"Dale, who has a reputation among his choir members for quite demonstrably displaying his emotions, showed them all almost simultaneously--from leaps and shouts to tears of joy and joyous laughter. And all this occurred as he searched for his cell phone to call his wife, Erin," Riley said.
___Some who know Wilbur were not surprised he was the first to win the coveted hole-in-one prize. A member of Berry Creek Country Club, Wilbur has played the course numerous times. And golf is more than a sport or hobby to him. He has been playing for 31 years and attended college on a golf scholarship.
___But there are no limitations on who can participate in the Children at Heart Golf Marathon. Golfers of all stages made up the 43 teams that met at 5:30 a.m. to begin their 100-hole trek.
___Many had been playing the marathon since its inception in 1993. Celebrating the 10th anniversary was a surprise to some who never thought it would make it past the second year.
___In 1993, sponsors pledged a total of $68,377. This year, $143,000 has been pledged by more than 1,300 sponsors. Due to underwriting by Henna Chevrolet and the Henna family, H.E.B. Grocery Co. and Regions Bank, all proceeds from sponsors and golfers go directly to the care of children at the Baptist General Convention of Texas agency.
___"This is an excellent event because it not only raises substantial funds for ministry operations, but it also gives individual golfers interested in TBCH the opportunity to magnify their support of the home," Riley said. "It is also an excellent way to introduce new supporters to TBCH ministries through their personal friends and associates."
___The evening after the marathon, awards were handed out at the golf banquet. Wilbur and his partner, Jerry Mullins, finished two under par with a score of 398.
___But the real winners, children's home officials said, were the children supported by the fund-raiser.
___
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