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Awards/Grants, AHFA

Dollars for Scholars

The Solution Partners division of the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) will hold its 29th Annual Education Golf Tournament Wednesday, September 18, at Lake Hickory Country Club, Catawba Springs Course, Hickory, N.C.

Registration is $150 per player. Participants need not be AHFA members to play in the tournament. Online registration is available here.

The captain’s choice tournament begins with a noon shotgun start, and registration includes a box lunch. A brief after-event includes the presentation of tournament awards and multiple prize drawings. Returning by popular demand for the 2019 tournament is Jacob Golliday, the professional long drive competitor who hits players’ drives 400-plus yards, giving them the opportunity to eagle a par 5 hole.

Donations received as part of Golliday’s long drive demonstrations and all proceeds from the September tournament are dedicated to the Solution Partners Education Fund, which supports a variety of education initiatives, including the Solution Partners Scholarship Program. More than 100 scholarships have been awarded since the program began in 1990.

“This is the only scholarship program of its kind in our industry. It provides direct support to home furnishings workers and their families with scholarship money that helps students afford continuing education at a college, university or technical school,” notes Solution Partners Executive Director Mary O’Keeffe.

In recent years, the scholarships have increased from $2,000 to $2,500 each, and the number awarded has grown from six to 12. Students may reapply for the one-year scholarships each year they are in school, provided the parent remains employed full time at an AHFA member company. Eight scholarships are awarded based on financial need and academic merit; four are awarded based on academic merit alone.

AHFA’s Solution Partners division is made up of more than 150 companies that supply products and services to the residential furniture industry worldwide. In addition to funding the scholarship program, the division’s Education Golf Tournament helps underwrite a jobs website that connects prospective industry workers with available job opportunities in the industry (www.MyFurnitureCareer.com).

Proceeds also have been used to support the Furniture Academy at Catawba Valley Community College, which offers training for upholstery workers.

More information on the golf tournament, including sponsorship opportunities, is available from O’Keeffe at mokeeffe@ahfa.us.