Picture perfect weather was the backdrop for Friday’s second annual River Classic Golf Tournament sponsored by the River Oaks Golf Course & Event Center and Ceres Chamber of Commerce and EA Valley Trucking.
The course was shut down exclusively for tournament play which drew 25 foursome teams – far more than the 14 teams at last year’s inaugural event.
Teams paid $500 to play for a good cause, netting thousands of dollars for the Chamber to distribute to nonprofit organizations and community causes.
By contrast, last year’s event raised $5,000.
Among the groups receiving funds will be the Ceres Lions Club, Ceres Police SWAT team and Howard Prep, formerly Howard Training Center.
Ceres Chamber of Commerce President Brandy Meyer explained that the Lions Club – which is always giving much to the community – was chosen as one of the recipients.
“We want to say thank you for all the work that they do and all the donations that they give to everybody,” Meyer said. “Last year they donated lunch (at the tournament), this year they’ve donated.”
Buffalo Wild Wings catered food, the Ceres Lions Club provided food as well. Howard Prep provided breakfast burritos and pastries for golfers and event volunteers.
Raffle donors included donations from Delicato Wine, Les Schwab Tires, Chicken Ranch Casino, Del Rio, Turlock and Spring Creek country clubs, Coca-Cola, Keith Meyer Flags and Modesto Symphony.
“It’s cool to have something for the community here,” said golfer and Ceres businessman Ryan Thornberry whose family is part owners of River Oaks.
“We’re busting at the seams,” said event co-founder and tournament organizer Leon Evans of EA Valley Trucking. “I think word of mouth from people who were here last year. It’s just a good event. It’s not the country club where we’re a little stuffy.”
Evans, also a Ceres Chamber of Commerce board director, came up with the idea after his then employer, Sunbelt Rentals, routinely sponsored holes at the Ceres golf course and he wanted to expand it by sponsoring a whole event.
So he then teamed up with the Chamber and River Oaks to kick start the charity event in 2024.
“It’s just giving back to the community and network and build your brand,” said Evans.
Teams playing this year were: Stokman; CVE - Chuck Johnson / Brianna Dobbs; Tandoc; Sunbelt teams headed by Bryson Hoar, Eleanna Velasquez and Travis Tritthart; InsureCal / Brandi LoForti; California Landscape with Ryan & Nick Thornberry; Bronco Wine / Joseph Franzia; Avila & Scott and Team BMO; O’Reilly Auto Parts; United Rentals; Boyd & Mendonca; Berline, Cohen, LLP - Makayla Whitney; Kotval; TDR with Marc Sanders; Evans & Erwin; Les Schwab / David Gomez; Krigbaum; Juarez; River Oaks / Hall;
K&D / Thornberry; Coca-Cola; J.T. Pappas; Persuasion Brewery; Sign Depot; and Trophyworks.
The event drew 14 hole sponsors, including O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, Pulido Real Estate, Joanna Esparza of Exit Realty, Brandi LoForti of InsureCal, Marc Sanders of TDR, Inc., Del Ambris of Cost Less Foods, Joseph Franzia of Bronco Wine Company (all donated the wine for players), Ramsey of Spitfire Graphics, the Stanislaus Latino Chamber of Commerce, Delicato Wine for donating wine, J.T. Pappas, Coca-Cola and Dave Dixon.
