He received an invite just last week, but Malik Foreman gladly took his golf talents to Link Hills Country Club on Friday.

Foreman added himself to a growing list of celebrities after taking part in the 18th annual Bob Kesling Boys & Girls Club Celebrity Golf Classic. Jessica Poore, the resource development director at the Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville and Greene County, extended the invitation to Foreman — a 2013 Dobyns-Bennett graduate and former Tennessee Volunteer. His younger brother Marae had given Poore’s husband, Dobyns-Bennett boys basketball coach and Greeneville native Chris Poore, Malik’s contact information. “She reached out the next day and I jumped right on it,” Foreman said. Foreman, who admitted he’s golfed for only a couple years, felt intrigued by the opportunity to support the local Boys & Girls Club. Having been heavily involved in the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kingsport growing up, the worthy cause hit close to home. “I was in the Boys & Girls Club ever since I was little,” Foreman said. “It kind of helped build my path ... it means the world to me to get invited out here and just give back. Coincidentally, Foreman picked up golf while rehabbing his shoulder, as recommended by his doctor. He played golf every weekend that summer and hasn’t put down his clubs since.

BIG ORANGE REUNION

He joined plenty of Vols For Life in Friday’s tournament before heavy rain and lightning ended the event early.

Former Southeastern Conference and 1967 national champion quarterback Dewey Warren was one of them. Warren hasn’t missed any of the Bob Kesling Boys & Girls Club Celebrity Golf Classics. And don’t look for it to happen anytime soon. “I’ve gotten an invitation every year, so I’ve always looked forward to it,” Warren said. “One of my favorite tournaments to come to is this one. They raise a lot of money for these kids up here; that’s what’s good about it.” Kesling, the Voice of the Vols since 1999, didn’t hit the links himself but once again enjoyed seeing the community rally around a charitable cause. It’s just what he and Scott Bullington, Executive Director at the Boys and Girls Club of Greeneville and Greene County, had envisioned nearly two decades ago. “All the celebs that show up every year, the people of Greeneville who rally around this thing and the businesses that have supported us, it’s been a lot of fun,” Kesling said. “A goal we’re still trying to do is to get the new building built ... Scott has been working hard trying to get that all put together. If we can do it, that’s going to be the crowning jewel of this whole thing. The money we raise, you know it’s going to a good cause.”

THEY SAID IT

Mike Smith (ETSU graduate, former Atlanta Falcons head coach): ”It’s for the boys and girls club and for me, that’s dear to my heart. The people here in Greeneville are so welcoming. It’s a good time of the year for me to come and play, also for a great, great cause.”

Anthony Hancock (former UT, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver): “I’m truly always honored just to be around good people and fellowship and to play golf, just to have a mission in life to make sure kids have the opportunity to become productive citizens. The bottom line is you’re raising money to keep the Boys & Girls Club a safe place for students to hang out after school.”

Jeff Olszewski (former UT quarterback): “Just the fact that there are so many former Tennessee athletes and coming together for a great cause, the Boys & Girls Club, it’s always a pleasure to be involved with anything that helps the youth of our area.”

Jani Trupovnieks (former UT offensive lineman): ”(This event) just gets better every year. You can’t go wrong with something like this. I see the full purpose of the Boys and Girls Club ... I’ve always been a true believer in it, and it helps in all aspects.”

Farm Bureau won in a rain shortened event in a scorecard playoff. Since several teams played different amounts of holes, the first 10 were counted toward each teams total.

1. Farm Bureau – Kevin Broyles, Kevin Kinser, Phil Irwin, Matthew McKenna, John Warren (former UT & Dallas Cowboy football player)

2. First Horizon Advisors – Matt Renner, Todd Ricker, Sasha Catron, Lucas Tabor, Damon Johnson (former UT & Professional basketball player)

3. Forward Air – Cal Doty, Larry Ottinger, Rodney Bell, Jeff Woods, Lee North (Former UT football player).

1. Greeneville Federal Bank – Johnny Honeycutt, Spenser Smith, Dougie Fezell, Mike Burns, Allen Johnson (former NHRA World Champion).

2. Hampton Inn by Hilton – Satush Hira, Cecil Scarborough, Ketan Hira, Maya Hira, Paul Patterson (former Major League Baseball player).

Scott Honeycutt, Riley Alexander, Maya Hira, Chris Renner.

Luca Tabor

Dewey Warren (former UT and NFL quarterback)

  The Boys & Girls Club is located at 740 West Church Street. The Boys & Girls Club is open this summer from 7:30 am - 5:30 pm Monday to Friday. For more information on Boys & Girls Club events call Scott Bullington or Aly Collins at 723-787-9322 or on for Boys & Girls Club programs contact Cathy Osborne at 787-9334 or visit the club website at www.ggcbgc.org. Pictures from the Bob Kesling Boys & Girls Club Celebrity Golf Classic event can be found on the Club’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/BGCGreeneville.