Thousands of dollars were raised for nonprofits on Saturday night as more than 70 people who dressed as their favorite TV show characters participated in the Onward! A Legacy Foundation fourth annual Putt-Putt Tournament.
Eighteen teams of characters from The Smurfs, Green Acres, Home Improvement, Bob’s Burgers and other beloved TV shows visited 10 Cortez businesses, restaurants and bars to try their shot at a variety of creative putt-putt holes, while purchasing drinks and food along the way. Next year’s theme is favorite movie.
Chuck Forth, executive director of Onward! A Legacy Foundation, said the proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward the foundation’s general fund and general endowment fund, which distributes grant money to local nonprofits.
He said the event typically brings in about $5,000 to $6,000 a year.
The annual putt-putt tournament injects some life into local businesses during what is often a slow time of year, Forth said.
“It’s just a good time of year because it’s slow, so it kind of helps with a little bit of retail pickup,” Forth said. “We’ve been doing it the Saturday before the Super Bowl ... everyone seems to be in a festive mood.”
The foundation has been around for 18 years, Forth said, and keeps growing. He explained that Onward! invests capital in order in order to distribute grant money to nonprofits.
“Really, how we make money — we manage assets,” Forth said. “We have $3.2 million that we are managing. We actively invest that money and make money.”
Over at High Desert Life Outdoors on Main Street, owner Jeff Mobley said the shop has participated in the putt-putt tournament for three years. He said the business is defending its title of best putt-putt hole. This year, High Desert put together a Yogi Bear-themed hole mostly made out of duct tape and cardboard.
“It’s for a good cause,” Mobley said.
At ice cream shop Moose and More, owner Brent McWhirter set up an elaborate putt-putt hole that sends the golf ball through a metal chute and onto the putting green.
“We just use it for little events like this,” McWhirter said. “We love it.”
