COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The annual Happy Irby Golf Tournament held this year at the Lion Hills Country Club in Columbus, Mississippi, took place March 26, raising money through player participation and local sponsors.
George Irby, Chairman of the Happy Irby Christmas Fund has been helping with his father’s charitable organization for as many years as he can remember, he said.
A 51 year employee of Columbus AFB, George "Happy" Irby, Sr., passed away March 27, 2009, on his 94th birthday. The Happy Irby fund brings 100 percent of the donations together to provide over 400 kids with new clothes every year during the holiday season.
“Every year we get folks who will sponsor the teams of four and the cost to play all raises funds and all the money raised goes into the Happy Irby Fund for kids in need around the local area,” said Bruce Hanson, a close friend of George Irby and George ‘Happy’ Irby Sr. “We make sure they get good clothes that will last.”
This year was the first year the tournament was not held at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, due to the closure of the golf course on base. This allowed more players to participate because the course on the base only had nine holes; whereas the Lion Hills Country Club has a full 18-hole course for participants.
A total of 50 people making 13 teams participated, raising over $5,000 with help from local sponsors.