LODGE VILLAGE
A home-away-from-home located between The Lodge at Sunriver Resort and the Cove Aquatic Center. Each room is accessed straight from the outdoors and features a cozy fireplace, outdoor space and spectacular views.
The support in its inaugural year for The Showcase of Golf, Wine, Cheese & Brew was strong from the start, raising some $30,000 in its first year. Then Sunriver Resort’s relatively unknown event to benefit the Habitat for Humanity of La PIne-Sunriver — which supports families in southern Deschutes County by building homes for those in need — really started to grow.
The tournament raised more in its second year, and more still in its third. By the conclusion of the 2016 event, The Showcase had raised some $175,000 over four years.
“The tournament just started to boom,” said Josh Willis, Sunriver Resort’s director of golf operations and one of the main organizers of the annual event.
Scheduled for Friday, Aug. 25, and Saturday, Aug. 26, the fifth edition of The Showcase is nearly upon us. And Sunriver Resort and The Showcase’s many generous sponsors are hoping the momentum continues to build.
“We anticipate eclipsing a quarter of a million dollars after this year’s event is concluded,” Willis said. “That’s enough money to have built almost three new homes.”
The Showcase has been a labor of love for Sunriver Resort since its inception. In partnership with Young’s Market and Columbia Distributing, which have both been driving forces in making the event a success, Sunriver set out to build an event that would be unique and enjoyable enough to provide a significant benefit to its own community.
Supporting southern Deschutes County, which includes Sunriver and La Pine, has never been a task that Sunriver Resort has taken lightly. After all, it’s the community that much of the Resort’s staff call home.
“Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful cause,” Willis said. “For us, it’s been a way to invest back into southern Deschutes County. That’s always been a major initiative for us. And you can see that in the way in which our staff gets involved in The Showcase.”
Of course, all the great intentions in the world won’t matter if the event itself isn’t appealing. The Showcase has proven to have a fun and winning formula for all its sponsors and participants.
The Showcase golf tournament, the Crosswater Invitational, is the main draw, of course. Played over 18 holes at Crosswater, named by Golf Digest as among the top courses in the country, the tournament features a four-person shamble in which golf is only part of the fun.
All 18 holes features a unique vendor. And wineries from all over the Northwest and beyond, as well as the best in local craft beer. Participants can even take a break at Crosswater’s to do a little fly-fishing.
“The Showcase is an opportunity for a golfer to participate in the funnest golf tournament of the year in Central Oregon,” Willis said.
When the golf is over, The Showcase takes center stage on Saturday night at Sunriver Resort’s The Homestead. Open to anyone interested, regardless if he or she plays golf, The Showcase is an exquisite evening that includes unlimited sampling of more than than 100 wines, local craft beer, spirits, dozens of gourmet cheeses, hors d’oeuvres, specialty foods, and of course, a silent auction and live music by Bill Keale and KC Flynn.
It’s an evening no one soon forgets, and it’s just $85 per person. Best yet, 100% of the proceeds go toward a fantastic cause.
For more information, or to buy tickets for The Showcase event, visit us online, download a registration form, or call 855-420-8206.