Photo by Tyler Bennett
D.R. Smith (left) and Dave Cyrus (right) hold the check with the funds raised at Friday’s Dave Couch Golf Tournamnet to benefit ALS.

PARKERSBURG — Despite getting pushed to late August from the usual date in spring and with concerns of rain and thunderstorms causing it to be postponed yet again. The 20th annual Dave Couch Golf Tournament went off without a hitch to raise $37,000 to benefit ALS in the area Friday at the Parkersburg Country Club.

A total of 35 teams and 139 golfers participated in 18 holes that saw the weather mostly sunny with some sprinkles showing up every so often, but play was not stopped. Which event organizer Dave Cyrus said that Couch had a helping hand.

“I want to like to thank Tri-State Roofing, United Bank, all the sponsors, Mary Riccobene, and the new car dealers in Parkersburg. It’s been a great 20 year ride and with the COVID this year. To be able to raise $37,000, I’m very happy,” Cyrus said. “We worried about it yesterday, had to make a decision at one o’clock to pull the plug or to move forward with it and Dave looked down on us and the sun shined on us again.”

Long time mainstays of the benefit and committee since the start of the event in 2000, Cyrus and D.R. Smith will be stepping away from their leadership roles, just to enjoy the golfing side of the event.

Both Cyrus and Smith both said that it’s time for the duo to step away to allow some new people to handle the duties of the event to help and help those in the area affected by ALS.

According to Cyrus, Jake Gold and club pro Scott Davidson will form a committee to take over the event.

“David and I have been partners in this for our 20th year and every year, we always have the uphills and the downhills. But we always found a way to pull it all together and every year it gets better and better. It’s nice to be part of a sporting event that has no political background. Everybody having a great time for one purpose to make good for everybody else,” Smith said.

“I think we’re stepping away at the right time. I think we’ve done our fair share, and I’m proud to have been a part of it and I look forward to its continued success.”

Money raised will be used to help those affected by ALS in the area, from wheelchairs, beds, motorized beds, scholarships, a memorial and physical and massage therapy.

According to Debbie Amigo, Crouch’s daughter and a big member of the committee as well, physical and especially massage therapy was important for Crouch during his battle with ALS.

“It has been a wonderful 20 years and I can’t believe we pulled this off in 2020. My dad would be really happy with all we’ve done,” Amigo said. “We’re going to continue to do what gave my dad relief,which was physical therapy, especially massage therapy. So we’ve been giving out every year through the foundation a scholarship for someone local to go to massage therapy school, he wanted that because it gave him so much relief.”

Starting in 2000 by Crouch, who passed away from the disease in 2001, developed the format of the tournament, how the money is reimbursed and those rules are still being used today as another way to honor Crouch, said Amigo.

Harold Manner, Wayne Novak, Jay Kaufman and Mike Lewis won A flight with the event’s best score with a 69 and the team of J.T Thomas, Jason Lewis, Aaron Stone and Jeremy Rinard score of 77 won the B flight.

Sponsoring the event was Untied Bank, Tri-State Roofing & Sheet Metal Company, Murray Sheet Metal, Mary Rccobene, Dave & Linda Cyrus. In memory of Larry Martin, Carl’s Pawn Shop, In memory of Carl Balderson, First Neighborhood Bank, Williamstown Bank, Springs Distributing company, LCC Highmark West Virginia, Woodcraft Supply, Piggly Wiggly, Phoenix Associates. INC., Russ & Connie Bladerson, Dr. Isidro & Debbie Amigo, Robert G. Astorg, CPA, Dick’s Automotive Paint & Supply, L. Dean Schwartz Appraisals, People’s Bank, Dick Warner Rentals/A.B. Chance Storage Warehouse, Al and Sharon Toothman, WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center, Mr & Mrs D.R. Smith, Jan Dils Attorney at Law, Dunkin’ Donuts, Bernie McDonough Foundation, United Bridge Partners, Waters Insurance Agency, WV Drug Testing Laboratories Inc. Kelly Paving Inc., Mrs. Carl Balderson, Community Bank of Parkersburg. Bob Tebay, Dr. H Talbott Tebay, Harry Esbenshade Jr., Albert Robinson, Rick Modersitt, St. Joseph’s Ambulance Service.

Contact Tyler Bennett at tbennett@newsandsentinel.com