Virgie Robinson Tournament: Golf event is much more than just a charity tournament

This month there is a golf tournament in the Tri-Cities that may appear, on the surface, to be just another tournament amongst so many, but the significance of this event is much more. It’s called the Virgie Robinson Memorial Scholarship 5th Annual Spring Golf Tournament and it takes place on April 22nd at Sun Willows Golf Course.

Who is Virgie Robinson you ask? Well, there is plenty to the story.

Virgie Mary Chambers was born to sharecroppers in 1919 and never graduated from high school, not uncommon in those years. She married Richard Robinson in Tacoma in 1945 and moved to Pasco in 1947 after Richard was discharged from the Navy. While in Pasco Virgie got her GED and attended Columbia Basin College. It was at this time that she became a strong supporter of education and started to make a difference in the lives of many children and their families in the area.

She wanted to plant the seeds for higher education in elementary students and became Pasco’s first ombudsman/home visitor in 1966 where she worked with the area’s most at-risk students. Throughout her life she was a dedicated volunteer, educator and community civil rights activist in the Pasco School District. Her involvement with the children and families had such a significant impact on the Pasco area school district that in 2005 the district named its 11th elementary school after her – The Virgie Robinson Elementary School.

To commemorate Virgie’s many achievements and for being an advocate for children and education her son Rickie Robinson and his sisters, partnering with a local radio station, created a scholarship fund in her name with the aim toward providing scholarships to Pasco students who have attended her namesake school. In 2015 five former Virgie Robinson Elementary School students received $1,000 scholarships. Past winners have attended Columbia Basin College, Central Wash. University and the University of Washington.

The tournament cost is $100 per player with chances to win $10,000 and/or a 5-day Carnival Cruise and/or 5-day
Myrtle Beach Vacation and much more. To be a part of this important event please visit www.vmrscholarships.org or call 509.539.6179