This content was published: October 22, 2007. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Building a great foundation
Photos and story by James Hill
The PCC Foundation is in the swing of fund-raising for 2007-08 thanks to its annual golf tournament.
The Foundation, in partnership with the metro area construction industry, raised more than $66,000 at the fourth annual PCC Golf Challenge at Heron Lakes Golf Course in September. The tournament involves many of the major contractors, sub-contractors, and service and support companies to the local construction industry and the college. The tournament supports student scholarships, instructional and equipment enhancements, and faculty or staff development. It is the largest fund-raising event of the year for the PCC Foundation.
“It went very well,” said Rick Zurow, Foundation director. “It didn’t rain, which was a positive. It was a great turnout. Everybody had a great time golfing and mingling at the reception. Personally, I had a blast. I’ve never worked for a charitable organization that had a golf tournament before. It’s great to have a legitimate reason to get out of the office to go golfing.” Since 2004 the tournament has netted more than $225,000 for students and programs related to construction. The proceeds have fully endowed the Alice Jacobson Excellence Award, which enhances student services and learning, and staff development at the Sylvania Campus. For golf tournament info and results, visit
the Foundation’s Golf Challenge website.
What the Golf Challenge funds will be used for:
- Helping to endow the Golf Challenge Building ConstructionScholarship Endowment. The golf tournament contributes $5,000 per yeartoward Endowment goal of $25,000. Upon reaching the goal, theendowment will produce an annual scholarship for students in PCC sConstruction, Architectural Design and Drafting, Building Inspection,Electrical trades, and Drafting Technology and Design programs.
- A new initiative to support sustainable building educationprograms. The Annual Golf Challenge Sustainability Program fund juststarted this year with $5,000 going toward promoting instruction insustainable techniques in PCC s Construction, and construction-relatedprograms.
- Purchase a fluorescent lighting display and testingequipment for BCT mechanical systems classes to help teach HVAC andenergy conservation concepts to students.
- Remaining net proceeds will go to the foundation sunrestricted general fund where more than $100,000 in scholarshipshave been awarded since 2004.
Related Resources
PCC Foundation, Foundation Scholarships
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »