There are times when luck and fate seem to combine to create a situation that just seems right.
Guy Roberts, who operates Asheville Cleaners, has been a longtime supporter of the Eblen-Kimmel Charities, an organization that helps thousands of WNC families in need with more than 70 programs that provide various types of assistance. Roberts, 55, was on a committee 20 years that started a fundraising golf tournament for the charity, a small event at Reems Creek Golf Club that raised a couple thousand dollars. That has grown into the Brad Johnson Celebrity Golf Classic, where more than 60 teams played at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove last week. The tournament and a memorabilia auction that was held at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa on Friday night annually raises hundreds of thousands of dollars, and all that money goes back into the community for people who have medical or other needs. “Guy has always been a loyal supporter,” said charity founder Joe Eblen. “Anytime we need something and call Guy for help, he always delivers.” At the Brad Johnson tourney last Tuesday, the hole-in-one prize on the par-3 14th hole was parked on a hill behind the tee box &mdash a white 2009 Toyota Tacoma truck from Jim Barkley Toyota.
Roberts, who’s had three aces in his golfing career, pulled a 5-hybrid from his bag and let ‘er rip from 171 yards. “It looked good from the beginning, and then one of my playing partners yelled, ‘Get the keys!’ while it was in the air,” Roberts said.