Village of Orland Park to Host Annual Open Lands Golf Outing

The Village of Orland Park will hold its annual golf outing on Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at Silver Lake Country Club, 14700 South 82nd Avenue in Orland Park. The outing benefits Open Lands of Orland Park and is open to the public.

“This is a beautiful day on the golf course to help preserve open space in Orland Park,” said Mayor Dan McLaughlin. 

McLaughlin created the village's Open Land Commission in 1995 to purchase and preserve natural areas and those with unique heritage qualities in the Village of Orland Park. For nearly 20 years, the commission has purchased and protected more than 276 acres of land, equivalent to almost 300 football fields of preserved open space. 

"We created the Open Lands Commission to preserve open space in the village before it was gone," McLaughlin said. "The commission has done a great job actively saving open areas throughout the community, preserving them for the future generations of Orland Park residents," the mayor added.

Some of these preserved areas include the Stellwagen Farm on 108th Avenue, Timberlake near 153rd and Will Cook, the 135th Street Wetlands at 135th Street and Southwest Highway, the Boley Farm on 151st Street and the 153rd Street Wetlands at 108th and 153rd Streets.  

In 2011, two new areas were purchased including 5.6 acres along the southern bank of the village’s Lake Sedgewick at Centennial Park and 3.7 acres east of McGinnis Slough.  The commission continues to target strategic locations for protection. Open Lands properties are owned by the Village of Orland Park and are open to the public.   Future plans include the village improving these important natural areas, increasing public access for passive recreation.

The Open Lands Commission holds fundraisers throughout the year to help raise money to buy open space in the village. The golf outing benefits Open Lands and the commission raises money with its annual Garden Walk.

Check-in and continental breakfast begin at 8:30 am with a shot-gun start at 9:30 am. The outing is limited to 144 golfers, so golfers are encouraged to send in their reservations as soon as possible.

Three ticket options are available. $130.00 per person includes eighteen holes of golf, cart, continental breakfast, lunch on the course, cocktails, dinner, and door prizes. $100 per person includes eighteen holes of golf, cart, continental breakfast, and lunch on the course. $50 includes cocktails, dinner, and door prizes. 

Sponsorship opportunities are available and include hole sponsorships for $200, continental breakfast at $300, cocktail hour at $500, and lunch on the course at $1,000. The committee is also seeking door and raffle prizes for the event. All sponsors and prize donors will be listed in the event program that is given to all attendees.

Ticket and sponsorship information is available by calling 708/403-6145. Find the event brochure online at http://www.orland-park.il.us/DocumentCenter/View/22502.