MONROE, Ga. — Walton County’s youth emerged as the big winners when nearly 200 golfers and the employees of Walton EMC teamed for the 11th annual Spring Golf Classic. The sold-out tournament benefitting the Walton County Boys and Girls Club netted $55,000 to support academic, leadership and character development programs for area children and teens.

This was the 11th year for the tournament held at The Georgia Club in Statham. Including this year’s proceeds, Walton EMC employees have donated $329,000 to the youth organization.

Contributing to the Boys and Girls Club is one way the customer-owned electric cooperative helps to improve the quality of life in our service area, said Ronnie Lee, CEO of Monroe-headquartered Walton EMC.

“We’re proud to support a local program that — like Walton EMC — is committed to strengthening our community,” he said. “We believe that what we do for area youth today can positively influence the future.”

In addition to the tournament, the Spring Golf Classic includes a silent auction and other contests that raise funds to make quality developmental programs available to the community’s young people. The fundraising event is coordinated and hosted by Walton EMC employees.

“Doing good in the community is one way we express our cooperative spirit,” said Walton EMC’s Kathy Ivie, who coordinates the golf tournament. The event is one of several that she and fellow employees host or participate in each year to honor the cooperative principle of ‘concern for community.’

Walton EMC is a customer-owned power company that serves accounts over its 10-county service area between Atlanta and Athens, Ga. Its primary focus is providing exceptional service to its 128,000 residential, commercial and industrial customer-owner accounts while also caring for the area’s communities.

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