Swinging For School Attendance: 27th Annual Aramark/SC4K Golf Classic Recap

This article was written by Karma Abboud, SC4K Development & Communications Intern.

On Monday, June 29, 116 golfers braved the blazing heat to join us at Chippewa Golf Course for our 27th Annual Golf Classic. Presented by Dubick Fixture and Supply, the Golf Classic is an event hosted by Aramark Sports + Entertainment and Shoes and Clothes for Kids (SC4K) to raise funds for underserved students in the Greater Cleveland area. Special thanks to our 30 generous sponsors for making this event possible! 

The golfers arrived bright and early at 9 A.M. for a delicious breakfast buffet and Mulligan Marys, before a shotgun start to the scramble-format tournament promptly at 10:30. A procession of golf carts then drove out into the fairway as the players advanced to their starting holes. 

At each of the three “hole-in-one” courses, players had the opportunity to win extravagant prizes, including a Las Vegas trip for 2 and $5,000 cash. 

Although there were no hole-in-ones this year, a variety of other prizes were offered. At the betting holes, players were invited to bet on various contests for an arms’ length of raffle tickets. This year, thanks to generous in-kind donations, we curated eight raffle baskets with a total value of more than $6,450. Prizes included exclusive suite tickets to Guardians and Cavs games, Chattanooga bourbon and Serbian wine packages, boomboxes and cornhole games, and much more! 

Throughout the day, golfers stopped for snacks at any of our five food and beverage stations, including Funky Truckeria food truck, s Chick-Fil-A table, and a hot dog stand. New this year, a “Birdie Party,” sponsored by Great Lakes Brewing Company, featured beef skewers, ice-cold beverages, and even a live DJ! 

As SC4K’s Development & Communications Intern, I spent the day driving through the course and snapping pictures to promote the event. I got to interact with so many great people and, of course, watch a few rounds of golf! View the 2026 photos here. 

At the conclusion of a long, hot day, staff and players were welcomed into the shade of the dinner tent for the final awards ceremony. After purchasing last-minute raffle tickets and loading plates with crisp salads and perfectly charred steaks, winners were announced in seven categories:  

• 1st Place Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
• 2nd Place Team: ABARTA Coca-Cola Beverages
• 3rd Place Team: Chippewa Golf Club 
• Longest Drive: Tom Wood
• Straightest Drive: RJ Previts
• Closest to the Pin: Pat Rhode
• Longest Putt: Steve Liggett 

During the ceremony, SC4K was presented with a $45,000 check from Aramark, representing the total event proceeds that will cover vital administrative and program costs. 

“Last year, we were able to serve over 34,000 students,” said SC4K Executive Director Monica Lloyd at the ceremony. “We provided items with a retail value of over 3.2 million dollars. And our golf outing is a big part of that.” 

Although I came home tired and slightly sunburnt, I had a great time! Whether I was reversing my golf cart out of the green yet again, sipping a raspberry lemonade, or carefully attempting to snap the perfect picture, it was a wonderful departure from the rhythm of a typical day in the office. The work was especially rewarding, knowing that it went toward serving Cleveland’s children.