Helo golf ball drop makes money for student scholarships

The Sertoma Club of Aiken donated some of the proceeds from its inaugural ball drop fundraiser to student scholarships at USCA.

“The students we help support are pursuing their dreams, and we want to impact their journey and make sure that they’re able to learn and grow and become the leaders they want to be,” said Noah Martel, who chaired the event.

The ball drop generated money for the USCA LIFE program.

Through USCA LIFE (Learning is For Everyone), students with intellectual disabilities experience college life, which includes on- and off-campus employment and extracurricular activities. Scholarships, like the ones awarded by Sertoma, make college affordable for LIFE students who become fully immersed and engaged in the college community.

Sertoma has been generous in its support of USCA. In 2018, the club outfitted the Etherredge Center with an inductive hearing loop system, which enhances experiences for hearing impaired patrons. With more than 3,000 feet of copper wires woven throughout the venue, regardless of where patrons sit, they will hear audio from performances. Don Bartelmay, former international president of Sertoma, Inc., said every seat in the Etherredge Center was tested.

“I love the university,” he said. “It means so much to our community, to our state and to our future. 

“All the money coming in from the ball drop will make a difference.”

The organization has also donated money to the athletic department, evidenced by a sign hanging in the Convocation Center. 

“The Aiken Sertoma Club has been a longtime supporter of the university and its athletics program. Furthermore, we feel that the USCA LIFE initiative aligns tremendously with our local chapter’s values and the Sertoma International mission statement,” Martel said.

Pacer Athletics teamed up with Sertoma for the ball drop, which involved a helicopter dropping 600 golf balls into the Roberto Hernandez Baseball Stadium mid-November. The ball closest to a marked target on the field won $10,000. The university’s athletic department and Woodside Country Club worked with Sertoma, making the event possible. Callaway donated all the golf balls, which, after the drop, were given to the First Tee of Aiken, a youth program that teaches the fundamentals of golf. The program’s 9-hole course, Chalk Mine 9, is located on the university campus.

"USCA athletics is proud to co-sponsor the helicopter ball drop fundraiser with the Sertoma Club of Aiken. The Sertoma Club has been a strong supporter of USCA Life and positive advocate of the Pacer athletic programs,” said Todd Wilkinson, USCA athletic director.

The organization hopes to extend its support by partnering with USCA LIFE to form a collegiate chapter of Sertoma Club. 

For more information, contact USCA Marketing & Communication at news@usca.edu.