DULUTH, Ga. - GeorgiaChron -- In 2021, Rainbow Village broke all previous fundraising records for its annual Second Chance Golf Classic. On Monday, April 25, the 2022 event surpassed last year's record by a whopping $28K. A total of $153,000 was raised to support the nonprofit's mission of bringing Help, Hope, Housing and Healing to families experiencing homelessness in metro Atlanta. On the day of the event – presented by Columbia Engineering and hosted at TPC Sugarloaf – 184 golfers took part in three flights on 27 holes, resulting in three first place teams, including foursomes from Conditioned Air Systems, Oconee State Bank and Crestron Electronics.

"Our hopes were high since it was a sold-out event weeks before the big day arrived," said Melanie Conner, CEO for Rainbow Village. "Still, we were so surprised and utterly overjoyed by the results. My team and I continue to be humbled by the generosity of this community. Of course, we couldn't have done it without the support of our 49 amazing sponsors, many of whom spent the day on the course golfing or at marketing tents engaging with our participants. Everyone who participated made it possible for families that have experienced homelessness to have a safe housing community and access to supportive services where dignity, self-respect, and hope are restored. It is our goal to guide these families on a journey toward stability and self-sufficiency, and the funds raised through this event will supply a lot of 'mulligans' for the families we serve."

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In addition to the three first place teams, the Rainbow Village benefit golf tournament resulted in:

• Three Closest to Pin winners:  Brian O'Conner, Derrell Melton and Chad Smith
• Three Longest Drive winners:  Ross Ellis, Matt McLain and Jordan Sease
• One Putting contest Winner: Justice French

Hit by Derrell Melton of the Conditioned Air Systems team, a Hole-in-One on the first shot of the day marked a positive start to the event. At the 19^th Hole Reception, Melton was awarded a TravisMathew Premium Performance Package as the Hole-in-One contest prize – sponsored by Maxie Price.

The date for the 2023 Second Chance Golf Classic has already been set. Supporters of Rainbow Village and lovers of golf are encouraged to mark their calendars for April 17, 2023. Representing Rainbow Village's second largest fundraiser of the year, its largest fundraiser of the year – the Rainbow Village "We Are Family" Benefit Gala – is still on deck for Saturday, October 1 at Atlanta Athletic Club. To learn more, visit www.RainbowVillage.org.