In the heat of summer, the cold winter may seem a distant memory.
Or not.
This past winter was particularly brutal, but thanks to ‘The Heat Stays On in Ortonville,? many struggling local families received assistance with paying their utility bills and keeping warm. Now the community has an opportunity to enjoy the warmth of summer and ensure that their neighbors have the comfort of a warm home in winter.
The 4th Annual Perry Rouse Memorial Golf Outing is planned for July 19 at the Goodrich Country Club, 10080 Hegel Road. The golf outing was originally begun 11 years ago to benefit the Ortonville Community Emergency Fund.
‘The golf outing brings a lot of community people together to go out and have fun playing golf,? said Roy Langolf, ‘The Heat Stays On? committee member. ‘After, we come back to the Pub for dinner and an auction. We are a very eclectic group, there are a wide range of ages and backgrounds and we play rain or shine.?
The Heat Stays On committee is hoping for about 30 teams this year. Check-in time is 8 a.m., with shotgun start at 9 a.m. Cost is $75 per player, or $45 for Goodrich Country Club members. Registration is requested by July 15. Hole sponsorships, with business names on tee signs, are available for $50, or $25 for an individual.
Amy Guirey, owner of the Village Pub, along with Perry Rouse and local residents and business owners Al and Sue Bess, began ‘The Heat Stays On? in 2004. Funds raised through the golf outing, as well as an annual February softball game and April bowling tournament with members of the Brandon Fire Department all go to ‘The Heat Stays On.? Monies are then distributed by the St. Anne Care and Share Fund to low-income families in the Brandon School District needing assistance in winter.
‘Last year we raised $8,000,? said Guirey. ‘It is progressing, people are starting to realize what a need there is in the community and after last year’s winter, the need has grown exponentially.?
Guirey expects golfing to end in the early afternoon, with a chicken or ribs dinner around 2 p.m. at the Pub, 411 Mill St., Ortonville. Items donated for auction includes an authentic carbon fiber hockey stick from the 2014 Winter Classic signed by former Detroit Red Wing Steve Yzerman; a flat screen television; a quilt made by Donna Barnes; a new pool cue with leather case; and a handmade oak bench.
Last winter, 36 families received assistance and over the years, 126 families have been able to keep warm with $37,000 raised by the ‘The Heat Stays On.?
For more information on the golf outing or to register, call Amy Guirey at 248-830-2019 or 248-627-2333.