Former Golf: Schilling’s company golf tournament raises money for veterans’ memorial

Dan McDonald, The Advertiser, May 30, 2018

Dan McDonald, pictured here covering the Louisiana Open in March, continues to cover the local golf scene this week in the Daily Advertiser. (Photo: SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network)

For years, Schilling Distributing Company has held an annual golf tournament for its employees, one that provided a day of fun and recreation for golfers who work at the long-time Budweiser and beverage distributorship.

That event shouldn’t come as a surprise. Herb Schilling II, who has overseen the family-owned business for most of the past 40 years, has been involved with golf since playing on two Gulf States Conference championship teams at then-USL, and he remains an active part of the local golf community both as a player and a benefactor.

He was also one of the original founders of the Louisiana Open, and son Buddy is currently a member of the board of directors of the now-Chitimacha Louisiana Open.

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It makes sense that a company event would involve golf. But this year, that father-son combination and other members of the Schilling team turned a company outing into something more, something greater, and something that will make an impact on the community for decades.

In lieu of the company event, Schilling Distributing turned that tournament into a fundraiser for the veterans’ memorial that will be a part of the new Moncus Park development.

“We normally have this for our employees, but the Moncus Park group came to us with the need to raise money and anted us to donate to the memorial,” Herb Schilling II said. “I told them there was another need, there’s also a need of awareness. People don’t know about the memorial and don’t know what’s going on at Moncus Park, so must raising money wouldn’t be fruitful. We needed to raise money and also awareness.”

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Both were accomplished. The tournament last Monday at The Wetlands raised $60,000, a huge figure for a fundraiser event, but that was just the start. Herb and wife, Renee, matched that $60,000 with a personal contribution, to push the figure to $120,000. Then, an anonymous donor matched that figure, meaning that the “Schilling Golf Classic” will hand over a contribution of at least $240,000 to the memorial fund.

“Hopefully we’ll be at $250,000 by the time we turn in the checks,” Schilling said. “We’re trying to raise $1 million for the memorial and we want to encourage everybody to contribute, but that’s a good start for a one-day event.”

Schilling Distributing has been part of Acadiana since 1950 when family patriarch Herbert Schilling personally received the area’s wholesale rights from August Busch Jr. The company has been part of many projects to benefit the area since that time, but the recent tournament was a way to turn golf into something that has a higher purpose.

“This is history,” Schilling said. “The veterans represent the price we pay for our freedom. Freedom is not free. People give their time, people have given their lives. We’re going to not only honor those who have fought in wars, but those who still serve in the military because they deter wars and protect that freedom.”

For the employees, it was a huge success, and made them part of what will hopefully become one of the drawing cards for the new park on Johnston Street.

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“What I like about the memorial we’re building is that people will go to the park not to view the memorial, but they’ll have the opportunity to walk by and re-educate themselves to history,” Schilling said. “History is something we learn from and try to become better.

“I’m proud that our team got involved with this. I’ve always looked at our employees like I was coaching a football or baseball team. It’s who you recruit, if you don’t have good players you’re not going to win, and if I don’t recruit good people, shame on me. We have some great employees and great people and they enthusiastically got behind this.”

“Making the Turn” appears Wednesday in the Daily Advertiser. Clubs, courses and individuals with information about local golf events may email Dan McDonald, editorial director at Golfballs.com, at danmcdonald@cox.net, FAX to (337) 857-8763 or call (337) 857-8754 and leave a message with phone number.

Athletic Network Footnote by Dr. Ed Dugas.
 
Click here for the 1971 Golf photo gallery, which includes Herb and teammates.