For 26 years the tournament has raised funds for scholarships for Lenape Regional High School district students to honor of former LRHSD superintendent Kereazis Kiki Konstantinos.
By ZANE CLARK
The Sun
A group of dedicated volunteers is once again teeing up an opportunity for locals to enjoy a fun-filled day of golf while also supporting the students of the Lenape Regional High School District.
The Konstantinos Scholarship Foundation has announced the 26th Annual Kiki Open Scholarship Tournament, set to take place on July 24 at the Medford Lakes Country Club.
The yearly golf tournament raises money to fund scholarships for students across the district in memory of former, longtime superintendent Kereazis “Kiki” Konstantinos, who served as superintendent for the district for three decades, from 1963 through 1993.
Throughout his 30 years at the helm of the district, Konstantinos oversaw Lenape High School, as well as the creation of Shawnee High School and Cherokee High School. During that time, more than 40,000 students received a high school education in the district.
Upon Konstantinos’ retirement in 1993, a group of volunteers created The Konstantinos Foundation to allow students to further their education in his name by awarding annual scholarships.
In the beginning, the foundation awarded three scholarships to one student at the each of the three high schools that constituted the district at the time.
However, as the years went on, the foundation’s offerings grew.
Although Konstantinos passed away at age 74 in 2002, the foundation bearing his name lived on and now offers scholarships to four students at each of the district’s now four high schools, for a total of 16 scholarships offered each year.
Since 1993, officials say the foundation has provided scholarships to 278 students, with those scholarships valued at a combined total of $489,000.
Once again heading up this year’s event is foundation chair Steve Zeuli.
Zeuli thanked the community and district for continuing to support the tournament, which alternates each year between playing on the two private courses of Little Mill Country Club and Medford Lakes Country Club.
“It’s a great event for a great cause at great places,” Zeuli said. “We’ve raised a lot of money, and we want to keep doing it. I don’t think there are very many foundations that have the staying power that we do, and it’s because we have a great amount of community support.”
Those interested in participating in this year’s tournament can sign up for the full day of activities at Medford Lakes Country Club for $210, which includes lunch, a cocktail reception and an awards dinner, in addition to entry for the tournament and a cart.
Registration begins on the day of the event at 11:30 a.m., with the golf portion of the event beginning at 1 p.m. with a shotgun start.
Non-golfers can also support the foundation with a $95 ticket to attend just the event’s cocktail reception and awards dinner.
Varying levels of sponsorship opportunities are also once again available this year, ranging from sponsoring one hole for $125 to sponsoring the event for $5,500.
For more information about registration or donations for the 26th Annual Kiki Open Scholarship Tournament, contact Zeuli at (856) 768–1985 or visit www.kikiopen.org.
Officials with the foundation ask those interested in participating in the tournament to register by July 10.
