DeFuniak Springs (Aug. 11, 2026) — Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative (CHELCO) is proud to announce that its 2026 Charity Golf Tournament raised $17,946.27 for three local nonprofit organizations serving children and families throughout the cooperative’s service area, making this year’s event the most successful in tournament history. The proceeds will benefit Children in Crisis, Emerald Coast Autism Center, and Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center.
The tournament, held May 29, marked a record-breaking year not only for fundraising but also for participation, with the highest number of teams and sponsors ever supporting the annual event. CHELCO welcomed 30 teams and 35 sponsors, significantly exceeding previous years’ participation levels.
This year’s tournament was held at Eagle Springs Golf and Recreation Center in DeFuniak Springs after the event’s longtime host course, Blackstone Golf Course, closed for renovations. The new venue allowed CHELCO to expand the field of participants and further grow the event’s impact.
“Setting fundraising and participation records reflects the incredible commitment our community has to helping local children and families,” said Tournament Director and Communications Specialist Tyler Wood. “We’re grateful to everyone who contributed to making this year’s tournament our most successful yet.”
CHELCO extends its sincere appreciation to the businesses and organizations that sponsored the event, including Clary-Glenn Funeral Home & Crematory, Emerald Transformer, Landis+Gyr, PowerGrid Services, Sequel Electrical Supply, Metal Recycling Inc., United Utility Supply, Tri-State Utility Products, Southland Utility Services, Bud & Alley’s, Gresco, Majors Financial, CPC Office Technologies, GasWorks, Ace Hardware of Freeport, Southern Transformer Services, and MetroPower.
Since 2021, the CHELCO Charity Golf Tournament has raised more than $75,000 for organizations that improve lives across Northwest Florida. This year’s record-breaking fundraising total will help the three beneficiary organizations continue providing critical services, resources, and support to local youth and families in need.
