Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 129, Number 29, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 20 July 2006 — Page 31

Day at the course remembers and benefits

By Anthony Gadson Editor Brant "Butch" Nine may be gone, but the City of Nappanee consistently makes it known that he is not forgotten. While working as a Nappanee Police Officer, Nine was shot, and killed, while responding to an attempted robbery at E. Newcomer & Son Jewelers on Nov. 3, 1988. Since that time, Nappanee has remembered the fallen officer by holding a memorial service for him on Nov. 3 of each year. Along with that, a special golf outing has also been held in his honor year-after-year. "We've had this going since 1988," Co-Chairman of the Butch Nine Golf Outing Don Abel said. The annual golf outing continued this June, when 19 foursomes hit the links at McCormick Creek Golf Course. "The tradition began with the EMS, then the police and fire departments also began to help," Abel, a volunteer fireman, said. The police and fire departments jumped on board after the event grew too large for the EMS to handle it alone.

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ADVANCE NEWS PHOTO/A.W. GADSON Phil Jenkins watches to see if his ball will fall into the cup as his teammates also patiently watch.

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ADVANCE NEWS PHOTO/A.W. GADSON The golf carts scatter at the beginning of the annual Butch Nine Golf Outing held at McCormick Creek Golf Course In Nappanee.

"It's grown," Abel said. "Not by leaps and bounds, but it has grown." It may be hard for the event to grow too much, considering there has been strong support for the event since its inception 18 years ago. "This is done in memory of Butch Nine, and all the good things he did for the community, and the ultimate sacrifice he made for law enforcement," Nappanee Mayor Larry Thompson said. Those who attend the outing range from members of the Fraternal Order of Police, corporate sponsors and friends of Nine. Each participant pays SSO to play, with corporate sponsors

paying SSOO. All money collected from the event then goes to North Wood High School's Dollars for Scholars program. "I am proud that every cent raised from this goes to Dollars for Scholars," Thompson said. On average, the event helps to raise $15,000. The money is then spilt up into $1,500 scholarships, which are given to

graduating North Wood seniors. In helping to gamer as much money as they can for scholarships, organizers of the event also get cut-rate fees for the

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event to be played at McCormick Creek. "They work with us very well," Abel said. McCormick Creek Golf Pro Tony Adams is more than happy to help with the event. "It's for a good cause," he said. "It's also a good way for guys who have not played the course before, to play it."

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•When it's all said and done, the main objective of the event is to remember Butch Nine, and help send North Wood graduates onto college. And with the rain subsiding, and sun coming out in time for the event last week, 2006 looked to be a good year. "It's looking good," Abel said. ,

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