SWIAR golf tournament to raise money for local student scholarship

The Southwest Iowa Association of Realtors will hold its annual golf tournament Sept. 17 at Whispering Woods Golf Club, with proceeds from the event going toward a scholarship for a local student pursuing an education in the trades or a real-estate-related field.

The tournament is one of the association’s largest events of the year and is open to more than just real estate professionals. Association President Joe Don Hunter said teams are still being accepted, and participants do not have to be Realtors or association members to take part. “If you want to play golf, you want to play four-man best ball, we have teams that are filling up,” Hunter said. “You do not have to be a Realtor. You do not have to be a SWIAR member.”

The annual outing has been held in September for several years and has previously been played at courses throughout the Council Bluffs area. This year’s tournament moves to Whispering Woods, which Hunter said has become a popular location for local competitions because of the way the course and clubhouse are set up to handle larger gatherings.

In past years, money raised through the tournament was donated to different organizations in Pottawattamie County. Hunter said the event would typically generate between $6,000 and $10,000, with the association selecting a local organization to receive the proceeds.

That approach changed after association member Emily Swinford proposed creating a scholarship fund that could continue helping students from year to year.

The association made an initial investment to establish the fund and now uses money generated by the golf tournament to continue building it. Hunter said the fund is managed through a Council Bluffs education foundation, and one student is selected to receive assistance toward either a two-year or four-year program.

The scholarship is focused on students entering the trades or another field connected to the real estate industry.

Hunter said that focus reflects what Realtors see every day as they work with homeowners, buyers and sellers throughout southwest Iowa. Real estate transactions regularly involve plumbers, electricians, heating and air conditioning technicians, home inspectors, lenders, title companies and other skilled professionals.

Those relationships are also a significant part of the Southwest Iowa Association of Realtors. The organization represents agents from Council Bluffs and communities throughout the region, including Glenwood, Missouri Valley and Oakland, regardless of which brokerage they work for.

Hunter said the association serves as a central resource for its members while also providing continuing education opportunities. Through its membership enrichment program, the association reimburses members for approved continuing education courses required to maintain their real estate licenses.

Many southwest Iowa agents are also licensed in Nebraska, making those educational opportunities particularly useful in the Council Bluffs and Omaha market. The scholarship program, however, extends the association’s focus beyond Realtors and toward the next generation of workers needed to support growth in southwest Iowa.

Hunter said the demand for skilled tradespeople is already evident to anyone working in real estate. Homeowners and businesses regularly need qualified workers for construction, repairs and improvements, and experienced tradespeople can quickly build strong demand for their services.

He also sees the trades as a possible path toward business ownership. Someone who begins by learning a skilled trade can eventually move into management, train other workers or start a company of their own.

For the association, the golf tournament provides a way to support that pipeline while bringing members of the community together for the day.

Hunter admits golf is not necessarily his strength, but said the tournament has value beyond the scorecard. “My swing has not improved at all, but my relationships have. My business opportunities have,” he said. “So I’ll keep showing up.”

Those interested in participating in the Sept. 17 tournament can contact Hunter or the Southwest Iowa Association of Realtors board office for information on available teams.