Charity Spotlight: NW Staffing and Sherwood Drive for MS
This year NW Staffing Resources is proudly partnering with causes and charities to support research and the fight against Multiple Sclerosis. This is a cause that is near to our hearts as many of our employees have family members that are currently battling this disease. We have partnered with the Sherwood Drive for MS, a golf tournament, taking place on July 13th. We have asked the founder and director of this event, high school junior Mason Bonn to share more about the conception and success of the Drive. If you are interested in participating or giving to this cause—see below for ways to connect.
Mason, tell us a little bit about yourself!
My name is Mason Bonn, and I’m a junior at Sherwood High School. I absolutely love golf, and I play both for my high school as well as year-round and I hope to continue playing in college. Additionally, I love to read and hang out with my friends and family and go to the beach in my free time.
What inspired you to put together the MS Golf Tournament? What is your connection to the MS community?
Both my affection of golf and the idea, given to me by my dad, that I could plausibly create my own tournament drove me to start the event, and the charity aspect seemed like a natural fit for the event as my aunt Lisa both has lived with the disease for much of her life and was at the time involved with the Oregon Chapter of the MS Society. I was always taken by “big ideas” as a kid and I taped a note on my door the first night we talked about starting the event that said: “Convince parents to start tournament”. I guess it worked, but I never imagined how well it would turn out.
Tell us about this history of this event? How many years has this been taking place?
When we hold the event on July 13 this year, it will be our 5th year hosting the event. We’ve held the event at the same golf course each year, which has led to a really cool connection with the course and the people there who help every year. Each year, we’ve raised more money than the last and now our total is up to over $12,000. That’s pretty cool on its own, but seeing the effect on those who suffer from the disease or those connected to the Society who come to the event and hearing each year about the progress on research that the event helps fund makes it that much more real.
How have you seen your community partner and support this cause?
The community response to the event has been truly incredible. What began in 2015 as a small-scale event that couldn’t quite fill the front 9 holes has expanded into an event that takes over the entire facility and is filled with laughter, friendly competition, good food and a general mood of satisfaction at what we’ve collectively accomplished. It covers golfers from past years returning to the event and bringing others as well, friends and family donating prizes to the auction and raffle to help further. The connection with the course I mentioned earlier that included the head chef of the course restaurant wearing a fight MS bracelet from the event all year long, and hearing stories and building connections with those who are connected with the disease in ways we would’ve never known otherwise. Notably, the success of the event led to the partnership this year with NW Staffing, which we’re grateful and very excited about.
What are your hopes for this cause 1-5 years down the road?
As for the tournament itself, my only hope is that it can continue to grow upon itself and be the joyous and fulfilling event it’s been to this point, and inspire other endeavors like it, convincing people that they can make a difference as we have with this event, because even the smallest difference can make a huge change. For MS itself, it’s been heartening to hear each year about the new discovery of drugs that can help slow the growth of the diseased cells, so the continuation of that progress is a hope for us, and we continue to keep our fingers crossed that the research the event help fund will one day soon make the major breakthrough and discover the cure for a disease that debilitates or otherwise causes struggles for so many worldwide.
Is there anything else we should know about the MS Golf Tournament?
Essentially, it’s a 9-hole 2-person scramble event at the Lake Oswego Par 3 Course where your entry fee gets you food, your round, and warm-up balls, and there is a raffle, auction, and prizes there as well. All proceeds go directly to the MS Society; the event is strictly non-profit. Finally, just what an honor it’s been to get to be a part of the event, and how cool for us all the support we’ve gotten has been as well.
If folks wanted to get involved or support this cause, is there a way that would be most helpful to you?
There are two, actually. One would be to sign up for the event, preferably with a partner, here: Evite Sign-Up
Another, slightly easier way to help would be to donate to the event here, and with NW Staffing’s generous offer to match donations up to $2,000 this is also a very effective way to help the cause: Fundraising
