THOMASVILLE- The Rotary Club of Thomasville hosted their annual golf classic on Saturday afternoon, where they raised over $25,000 to go toward United Way and their big impact project.

The classic featured 23 teams and 80 golfers ready to tee it off at the Country Oaks Golf Course for the betterment of the Thomasville community.

In previous years, the golf classic’s total funds were all donated to United Way. However, this year Rotary Club pledged $25,000 to United Way and anything raised above that would be split between the two clubs.

Rotary Club President Mary Beth Donalson said the funds collected for Rotary will go toward their big impact project, which consists of partnering with Second Harvest to provide fresh produce for the community. The project, which consists of three phases, is already in phase two. Following the Golf Classic, Donalson hopes to enter phase three- the planting of community gardens.

“We’re going to designate anything from this to the community gardens project,” Donalson said. “There will be gardens all over Thomasville.”

Donalson’s hope is to start the first community garden near the Boys & Girls Club. Additionally, the Humane Society has offered up nearly 20 acres for the Club to use to plant community gardens for the public.

“We will build the gardens and the community will maintain them,” she explained. “Community members will come and pick fruits and vegetables when they’re ready.”

Donalson had set a goal of $75,000 to be raised for the community garden project.

“I’m an overachiever,” she said. “We’ve already raised $25,000 in addition to money given to us by the Boys & Girls Club for our garden.”

Donalson said Rotary Club also received a grant from their foundation last year to help with the implementation of the gardens, along with several community donations.

The community has not only donated to the gardens, but played a major role in donating items and hole sponsorships for the classic.

“I’m really thankful to our committee and the sponsors who gave all kinds of donations,” Donalson said. “We have been really blessed by the community.”

Wiregrass Electric were the winners of this year’s classic. The team consisted of Mark Wang, Larry Eddy, Jimmy Dunlap and Joey Adams.