By AMY JONES / Associate Editor

NORTH SHELBY — Golf lovers will soon have a chance to participate in their favorite sport while raising money to help feed kids at the same time.

Vineyard Family Services will host the Teed Off Against Hunger Golf Tournament at 1 p.m. Oct. 1 at the Inverness Country Club.

The event will be in a four-person scramble format and will feature grilled lunches and light hors d’oeuvres at the awards reception following the tournament.

There will also be a chance for one golfer to win $5,000 in a putting contest, as well as other games and prizes.

Stephanie Grissom, program director for Vineyard Family Services, said the Inverness Country Club is a great place to hold a tournament.

“A tournament is a great way for those donating toward the event to also get to have fun, win some prizes, receive some advertising and have a day off,” she said. “The facilities are great and the course is incredible.”

Grissom said she is hoping to see at least 75 participants and at least $16,000 raised for Backpack Buddies. Tournament organizers are still looking for more sponsors and teams to participate, she said.

“Even if people don’t play golf, their company can still sponsor a team or donate online,” she said.

At the end of the tournament, there will be a silent auction and prize winners will be drawn, Grissom said.

She said the community has responded well by moving to sponsor and participate in the tournament.

“We have had a tremendous response from the community in terms of sponsors and more are coming,” she said. “We just love Shelby County and the local business and families here. They never disappoint. This community has a deep-seated commitment for taking care of their own.”

To sign up for the tournament, go to Vfsdads.com. It costs $149 for individual golfers and $575 for foursomes. Registration is open until Sept. 31.

The tournament is sponsored by Servpro, Verizon, Lathan Associates Architects, Sunbelt Rentals, Cahaba Glass, Prime Distributors, Tire Engineers, Automation Personnel Services, Cornerstone Building, Cadence Bank, Jefferson Clinic, CCC Transportation, Information Transport Solutions, Mr. Al Yother, Mr. Eric Bigham, The Taylor Family, Trimac, Southlake Orthopedics, Orthodontics South, Hug Chiropractic Clinic, Triple H Specialty and Inverness Vineyard Church.

Backpack Buddies feeds public school students, ages 5-12, who are on free meal programs at their schools. For the weekends, they receive “buddy bags,” which contain foods such as peanut butter crackers, macaroni and cheese cups, fruit snacks, pudding cups and granola bars, among other items.

For more information, email Grissom at stephie@vfsdads.com.