t's over. The 7th Annual Jefferson City Open is over. For those of you that did not make it, it's your loss. This was the first year we had a 2 day, 'B' tier event. Attendance was down from last year, but I'm told that usually happens the first couple of years. It will be discussed whether next year will be a 1 day or 2 day event, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

This was our first year, and inaugural PDGA event at our, not quite complete, Dam Course at Binder Lake. The club worked diliginantly to get 2 holes, through the woods, opened up, 3 anchors/sleeves placed, and work on 2 temporary placements to get 18 playable holes in the ground. I want to thank all the members who helped to get this accomplished. It was a feat to be proud of. Especially with all the rain we've had, a State Cross Country Track meet the week before (that goes through a big part of the course), and the dreadfull loss of a good friend, and fellow Disc Golfer, Shawn Crowe.

Thank you to all the sponsors who helped make this event possible, your added money and prizes help to bring the players in to make this an event more enjoyable. Thank you to the members who helped go out and solicit those sponsors, for without you, the sponsors wouldn't be there.

A big thank you to Jefferson City Parks, Recreation, & Forestry for the work they did to get trees cleared out and brush piles moved, use of EZ cart and other equipment, use of building, mowing, and especially the use of 2, very fine, disc golf courses.

Special recognition to these individuals who helped on and off the course to make this event possible:
Brian Lansford for your work on the trophies (very cool), mowing both courses, tree cutting, brush moving, and anything else we asked of you.
Rod Braman for the course work, sponsorship signs, last minute details, club historian, with all the great photos you took, and sounding board for listening to my worries and bitching (please keep those conversations to yourself) lol
Jay and Jake Hebenheimer (Kid Fedora) for your sponsorships, Tree cutting, brush hauling, mowing,use of ATV, and again, whatever was needed.
Steve Sisson for all that you did. I can't list it all here all the things you helped out with, but especially sacrificing not playing so you could help coordinate all that was going on between 2 courses. That's a lot to do for one person.
Derred Scheperle, the lumberjack, who almost single handedly cut all the trees on 15 (Dam) to make it playable, the great cedar fence on 9 long (JC Miller), and the cool memorial cross on 17 (Dam) for Shawn.
Thank you Scott Elam, for the dedication and the vision to make this a 'B' tier event. You being here to be TD for this event saved my mental health. Even though you have moved away, you kept at it to help us make it though another year. Thank you for all the work you have done for all the tournaments you have TD'd and all that you have done for Jefferson City Disc Golf Club and disc golf in general. We will miss your inspiration, experience, and motivation. I will miss you.
Thank you Russ Burns, the Disc Golf Monkey, Kevin Carder, and the rest of the team for coming up to Jefferson City to make this event what it is, and the great payouts to the players. We enjoy the partnership we have with the Monkey team. I look forward to many more Monkey stops to Jefferson City in the future. Love you man!

One last thank you to all the players who came out to play in the 7th Annual Jefferson City Open. I hope you enjoyed the course layouts.The Dam Course is still a work in progress and will be in much better shape when you come back next year. I hope you liked the challenge. Thank you for the kind words about the courses, and the critique. I'm hoping this will be a course players will want to have on their wishlist to play. You, the players, have made this event what it is, and what it will become. See you next year.

If I did not list you on this long winded thank you, please know that I appreciate all those that helped out and continue to help with the Jefferson City Open, and the Jefferson City Disc Golf Club.

Peace

Stan Balke