Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Managing Editor
April is Child Abuse Awareness Month, and every year a few Clovis citizens try to chip, tee and wedge at the problem.
Next weekend, the Colonial Park Golf Course will host the 10th annual Hank Baskett III Tee’d Off About Child Abuse Golf Tournament.
The tournament that bears the Clovis native and former pro football receiver’s name is the largest fundraiser for Oasis Children’s Advocacy Center.
The non-profit, private organization that conducts investigative interviews of abused children throughout a five-county area of eastern New Mexico, including Curry, Roosevelt, De Baca, Quay and Harding counties.
Tournament Director George Jones said Baskett’s appearance at the tournament is still up in the air.
“We know his dad is working on it, but he hasn’t been able to nail it down yet with his son’s schedule,” Jones said. “He tries to show up, bring people when he can. We’ve been lucky enough he’s been here the last three years.”
Attempts to contact Baskett Jr. on Friday were unsuccessful.
This year’s event, Jones said, will feature opportunities to win $5,000 either with a hole-in-one on a sponsored hole or a 50-foot putt. The silent auction has various items, including a club signed by 2000 PGA Championship runner-up Bob May.
Baskett hasn’t played in the National Football League since the 2010 season, but the tournament has continued — albeit without some of the bigger elements of the past like NFL teammates or companion tournaments in other cities.
“I think people just understand the importance of Oasis, what it brings to the community,” Jones said. “It’s had better years, but we’ve been able to keep going because the community understands the importance.”
This will be the first tournament since the retirement of Hank Baskett Jr., who retired in August after 21 years with the safehouse.
The tournament had existed before Baskett III started his six-year career as an NFL receiver, but he took it over from his father, Hank Baskett Jr., when he got to the league and needed to select a charity. When he first took the tournament over, the younger Baskett said it’s always good to raise awareness about child abuse but it’s also important to provide resources that could help victims.
Jones said the tournament probably provides about $9,000 per year to support Oasis.
There are so far nine four-person teams signed up, with Jones noting he’ll take teams and individual players up until Friday night.
Entry is $100 per person. Oasis Program Manager Laura Lucero said people could sign up as teams, or tournament officials can pair up solo players.
Information: Jones, 575-791-1411.