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Pinewood CC Fund Drive over halfway to $30,000 goal New management policies include better business management, getting sound long-term financing, and a membership drive this year to nearly double the current 100 membership. "It's economic development," President V.T. Yarberry says. LWC, Adair School District, even non-members are helping the drive. Mayor, tourism director say success of Pinewood is essential to community By Ed Waggener It is still a battle, but this one appears destined to be won. Pinewood Country Club is on a path to financial security, greater community involvement, and readiness to play its role in community development, its President V.T. Yarberry says. A special fund drive to raise $30,000 for Pinewood Country Club is over the halfway point, just three weeks after its start. "We've got $15,000 already pledged," Yarberry,said this morning. That was just before he took a cell call from another board member who was reporting another $500 pledge. Yarberry said that there were some critical financial needs when he took over as President of Association which manages it. "We were behind on current bills," he said. "We decided we'd change that, once and for all," he said. The $30,000 drive will pay back a short term bank loan borrowed to take of pressing current bills. After that is paid back, Yarberry said, he'll take on the club's long-term $900,000 plus indebtedness."We're paying commercial rates on the debt now," he said, "but we think we have a good chance to get KACO package which will let us retire the debt on a business like basis," he said. Country Club is essential to economic development "As I see it," Yarberry said, "Pinewood Country Club is absolutely necessary for economic development. When people are looking for a place to locate, whether they are businesspeople, doctors, professors at the college, or hospitality industry business people, having a nice golf course is going to be high on their list of priorities." "I'm excited about all the growth we are experiencing in Adair County right now. The future has never looked brighter. But," he said, "I was determined that in the midst of all the progress, we didn't let a real community jewel, a major community asset, teeter on the brink financial ruin. It means to much to us." Mayor Bell agrees Columbia Mayor Pat Bell agreed. "It (Pinewood) is an important part of the package of our assets which make us attractive for economic development. As such, it's important to maintain it, whether we play golf or not." The Mayor continued, "I think Pinewood is now under good and responsible leaders who will make a good investment even better--with community support, for sure." The Mayor was not only happy about the financial changes President Tucker Yarberry is giving it. "They have some great members," he said, "any community would be proud to have, for instance, a member with the golf background of Edgar Hancock. You can just see the difference outstanding members such as Ed Hancock are making." Right man, right time for the job The current president has the credentials to safeguard this Adair County treasure. He's spent his entire lifetime doing that over a large part of Kentucky. Yarberry is retired after a career in finance. He was a major Kentucky official in the USDA's Farm Home Administration and has been instrumental in helping Adair County with public projects. He secured the lion's share of the funding for the Chamber building through FHA. It's construction was meant to be a tool for economic development, and while it has not yet proven to be a generator of new industrial and service jobs, it has been a resounding success in its role of developing tourism. Sue Stivers, Executive Director of the Columbia-Adair County Tourism Commission agrees. "I can tell you right now the importance we place on having golf available in Adair County. We send out 20,000 brochures a year promoting Columbia, and Pinewood Country Club is mentioned on everyone of them. Whether you play golf or not, if you care about economic development, you have care about a healthy Pinewood Country Club. I'm thrilled to see the new energy Tucker Yarberry is putting into the country club and the leadership the current board is providing." Pinewood is home course for LWC, ACHS golf teams Pinewood Country Club is the home course for the boy's and girls Adair County High School golf teams and is also the home course for Lindsey Wilson's Men's and Women's golf teams. Since taking office, President Yarberry has worked out new arrangements with both Lindsey Wilson and the Adair County School District for annual fees for the teams to use the course and for the players to practice there. He said that having the teams adds prestige to the community, helps with the drive to improve community fitness, and, "You never know when a prospect to move here will have a child who plays golf, and having a high school or college team could just tip the balance in favor of Columbia." It's a similar situation to the drain of top high schoolers from the county because Adair County doesn't have a swim team or natorium, and Russell and Taylor County do. Investing in Pinewood is an investment in the community "Investing in this drive, and investing in the community with a membership are both important," he said. Some are helping with drive even though they don't choose to join the club. "Joe Lynn Barbee contributed to the drive with a nice check," Yarberry said. "He told me that Columbia has to have a country club. And he doesn't even play golf." Events draw build tourism Many people may not realize it, but annual meets here, such as the Pinewood Invitational, high school and college meets, draw teams and spectators who send money in Columbia. In addition, we have tournaments like the Annual Crusade for Children Tournament, sponsored by the Columbia-Adair County Fire Department, which is a major fundraiser, and the Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament is held here, not on a course in a surrounding county. Hope is to nearly double membership Right now, Pinewood has 100 members. Yarberry means to raise that number to 175 during 2008. To do that, he said, the club is going to be more open about it's affairs than past administrations have been. "We going to let people know how things stand at Pinewood. Whether it is about our financial condition, about making memberships available, about what's going on out here." Annual memberships are $1,100 for those joining before February 15, 2008. After that, they will go to $1,200. The $30,000 fund drive will continue until February 1, 2008, Yarberry said. Then the club will turn its attention to the membership drive with an aim to nearly double the rolls, and, concurrently, he and the board will be doing some negotiating for a good long-term loan package. "With the club's proximity to the Louie B. Nunn Parkway, KY 61 and the Western Bypass, and to the Super Wal-Mart and the Columbia-Adair County Airport, there's no doubt that we have an asset worth much, much more than the indebtedness," he said. The current board includes Craig Feese, Edgar Hancock, Cathy Jones, Winston Moore, Jason Perkins, Richard Stephens, James Thomas, and V.T. Yarberry. To join, to help with the fund drive, or for more information, contact President Yarberry or any of the board members, write: Pinewood Country Club, PO Box 38, Columbia, KY 42728 or call (270)-384-3613. This story was posted on 2008-01-24 09:56:46
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