Support the upcoming Unity Event Golf Tournament

“The Unity Event offers nonprofits direct access to community members and stakeholders who share a vision for a healthier, more equitable society. Funds raised help maintain and expand essential programs. The event also inspires new supporters and volunteers, boosting nonprofit visibility and outreach.”- Susan Kerr, CEO of the Unity Event 

I have been involved with numerous nonprofit organizations for many years. I can also attest that many of the women and men volunteering and working for these organizations are truly altruistic, wonderful people. Sheryl Watford and Susan Kerr, who started The Unity Event organization, are two such leaders (see below).

I began my own career with the poverty programs in Georgia, was over a $50 million state/federal grant program and worked with national non-profit healthcare systems for two decades. I know from my past career and current extensive volunteer efforts that our nonprofits are currently under tremendous financial pressure. Many of them are barely surviving and are running a deficit (https://nff.org/learn/survey ). 

There are ever higher societal needs for services to vulnerable populations while there is increasing political pressure on the local, state and national levels to reduce governmental funding. Due to this dire situation, nearly half of these altruistic organizations do not have the money to continue providing services at past levels…while over three fourths predict an increase in demand for their services (https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/study-almost-half-of-nonprofits-lack-sufficient-funds-to-deliver-their-programs-and-services/ )

Thus, not for profit entities are currently under tremendous pressure. The only way to offset these significant cutbacks in governmental funding to these vital organizations is via private fund raising. That is where Unity Event comes into the picture, providing opportunities for community members, businesses, and regional partners to work together to alleviate these dire financial needs.

The Unity Event organization raises funding for not-for-profit organizations. On September 15^th, the organization is conducting the Unity Event Golf Tournamentat the Newnan Country Club (1356 US-29, Newnan, GA). It is a unique opportunity to play golf at a private course renown for its beautiful greens. More about that below, but first a little about the organization’s founders.

Sheryl Watford is President of New Business for Wallace Gray Investments, Inc. and has been a community leader in Fayette County for many years. She was formerly the Executive Director of Fayette Care Clinic, which delivers healthcare services to residents who do not have the resources to obtain needed medical care.

Susan Kerr left a highly successful career in finance and real estate to head up Unity Event here in Fayette County. She strongly believes in creating “partnerships” to instill positive lasting change in our local communities.

The upcoming Unity Event Golf Tournament is a key fund-raising event for our local nonprofits, which provide our community’s underserved populations with vital services. But the event is so much more. The Tournament gives visibility to the need for partnerships with the business community, addressing urgent needs. It promotes such partnerships designed to alleviate healthcare and other issues on the local level.

This event also promotes collaboration with and between adjoining counties and their own nonprofits, sharing services one county might have that another does not.  If the funding dries up and we start losing nonprofits, the local effects on a county will be challenging at best. Over two-thirds of the funding for nonprofits is via individual and private donations, not federal, state, and local governments and so on.

Each of us have a choice- ignore local problems or become part of the solution. Sheryl and Susan encourage you to support our local nonprofits by sharing information about the Unity Event Golf Tournament within your network of friends and neighbors. As shown on the website, you can either register to play or become a sponsor of the event, held Monday, September 15, 2025 at the Newnan Country Club  (https://www.theunityevent.com/about). Act now!