Reviving tournament

Vickie Covert and Terry Ortiz began in October to prepare for the revival of the once-successful Huntington Beach High School Educational Foundation’s golf tournament.

Now, all they need is the community behind them.

The lack of golfers has the two organizers, both parents at the school, worried that the fundraiser Monday may not be enough to fill the school’s most recent budget gap. The organizers’ goal is 100 participants, but turnout so far has been much smaller than that.

“Right now, we don’t even have half of the people we need for the tournament,” Covert said.

In November, the high school spent about $22,000 for new learning materials that included books, laptops and remote controls for projector screens. The bill, though, still hasn’t been paid — and the foundation hopes to help cover it through the tournament.

“The educational foundation is what funds the principal needs for the school,” Ortiz said.

Covert said the event may only raise half of what is needed because there aren’t enough supporters. Although she has previously volunteered in charity golf tournaments, she never expected to have such difficulty in signing up Huntington Beach High parents for a valuable cause.

She recognizes that people are hurting from the economy, but believes there is a different reason why it has been so hard to sign people up for this event.

“People have to think about giving overall, instead of just giving to what your kid participates in,” she said.

Covert is still hopeful for more tournament sign-ups until the deadline Monday morning.

Golfers will tee off at noon to begin a day of competing in long-drive, hole-in-one and closest-to-the-pin contests, followed by dinner and auctions. Participants can look forward to meeting and playing alongside long-drive pro and Huntington Beach High alumnus Jeff Farley.

Local community vendors have reached out to help the cause by donating products and services for auctioning.

All winners will walk away with a prize that corresponds to their event, including a Regal Awards book clock, a Club Glove golf travel bag and a Toyota automobile.

The dinner and auction is open to all. Items going up for bid in the auctions will include a Body Glove wetsuit, teeth whitening, a South Coast Plaza gift certificate and a year parking pass to Huntington Beach, as well as getaway packages to Nantucket, Moonridge near Big Bear and the Rocking Horse Ranch in New York.

Ortiz reminds everyone that although this fundraising event may not affect everyone at the school right now, in the future, it may.

“One thing about Huntington Beach that I’ve learned since I’ve moved here [is that] people that grow up here don’t leave,” Covert said. “Most of them stay here and continue to work here in the city, so their kids are going to be going to this school, and it’s kind of a neat city because of that.”

If You Go

What: Huntington Beach High School Educational Foundation Golf Tournament

Where: SeaCliff Country Club, 6501 Palm Ave., Huntington Beach

When: Noon to 7 p.m. Monday

Cost: $200 for golf participants and $35 for dinner

Information: (714) 536-2441