The Trousdale School held its sixth annual fundraiser golf tournament earlier this week at the Cleveland Country Club with approximately $50,000 raised to go toward scholarship funds for students.

The largest field in the event’s history (33 teams, 132 players) enjoyed a luncheon with the Trousdale students and University of Tennessee’s Bill Myers, CFO for Athletics, as the special guest of honor this year.

Trousdale student Susan Turner won the honor to start the golf tournament with the first tee shot.

Winning top honors in the First Flight in this year’s golf event were Pioneer Credit Company, including Tony Green, Brian Brakebill, Billy Davis and Brian Mitchell.

Miller and Martin A took the top spot in the Second Flight, with Hugh Sharber, Stan Burton, Dan Koliecko and Roger Dickson putting together a strong run.

Bank of Cleveland (Jeff Wolfenden, Clint Taylor, Terry Buckner, Brian Hood) took second place in the First flight, while Universal Assemblies (Matt Sanders, David, Scott and Sonny Hicks) placed third.

Mountain View Chevrolet (Parker Womac, William Jenkins, Don Watson, Kevin McConnell) was the runner-up in the Second Flight, with Encompass (David Sherlin, John Kitterman, Sandy and Greg Snoddy) finishing third.

Closest to the Pin winners included: Chris McGauley (No. 6), Greg Snoddy (No. 9), Don Cowan (No. 13) and Gary Pelfrey (No. 17). The Longest Drive award went to Tony Green.

The Trousdale School is a non-profit organization that works with high functioning adults with intellectual disabilities.

Currently functioning as a day program, the school consists of job placement and job shadowing, academics, and social and community activities.

The Trousdale School is committed to providing an environment that promotes maximum educational, physical, social, and spiritual growth to its students.

Founded by local businessman Tom Johnson, the school recently purchased the Asbury United Methodist property just off Dockery Lane, where it has operated in the church’s gym for the past 3 1/2 years. The more than 8-acre property is currently being renovated for the school’s use.

“We started talking about two years ago, seriously, about purchasing the property,” said Allen Clark, director of Trousdale facilities.

“We not only gained a home, we almost doubled our useable square footage,” Clark said.

The church is moving from the location to be more community based and outreach focused and will hold services in the Lake Forest Middle School’s auditorium until another location can be secured.

“It gives us the opportunity to expand not only the number of students we can serve, but the services we provide,” Trousdale executive director Shannon Clark said.

Trousdale already has plans for growth to use the new property, including adding a residential program at some point in the future.

Acquiring the church property gives Trousdale room for two classrooms, a student lounge, computer and music labs, library and staff offices.

“This allows us to really integrate all we are trying to do for the whole person,” Shannon Clark said.

In what was once the church’s kitchen, Trousdale will set up an apartment to help the students practice life skills

What was once the sanctuary of the church will now be converted into a “Little Theater” and provide space to build a computer lab and library. The additional space also gives the teachers a place to work on lessons together.

“The vestibule of the church is now going to become the center of our school, instead of the gym kind of being the center,” Allen Clark said.

For more information about The Trousdale School, please contact (423) 479-7130.