While the subject of this article is golf, the real significance attached to the story is that money raised at the upcoming Ken Lanning Junior Golf Tournament helps to underwrite an annual college scholarship for a deserving young man or woman from Phelps County.
The greater the number of young boys and girls who sign up to play in the Lanning tournament July 21 and 22 at Oak Meadow Country Club, the more money will be added to the Ken Lanning Scholarship (KLS) Fund.
Some years it is possible to award two scholarships.
Ken Lanning, a Rolla resident who started the golf tournament many years ago, has been involved with junior golf for so long that he is known as the father of junior golf across Missouri. The golf tournament he started is now open to boys and girls from age 6-18.
I played in the first Lanning tournament in the summer of 1954 at what is now the Missouri S&T golf course. (The course is destined to become a research park.) The tournament was not held every year between then and now, but not too many years have been missed.
Several years ago, the tournament moved to Oak Meadow Country Club, which has been gracious in donating its facility to benefit the kids who compete in the tournament.
What is more, for the first time this year, the Lanning tournament is being conducted under the auspices of the Missouri Golf Association (MGA), the leading overseer in amateur golf in Missouri.  With the MGA’s involvement, the tournament immediately gained an ability to promote the tournament throughout the state and joined forces with a built-in golf tournament administrative staff.
This year alone, the MGA has added a clinic, an exhibition and a barbecue for all tournament participants. Those new features of the Lanning tournament will take place following the conclusion of play on the first day of the tournament. All those events are free thanks to the sponsorship of Phelps County Bank.
The tournament will get under way at 7 a.m. July 21 when the age 6-11 golfers tee off. That group will play nine holes only on both days of the tournament.
The older kids, age 12-18, will tee off beginning at 7:30 a.m. both days of the tournament. They will play 18 holes both days of the tournament.
The entry fee for the Lanning tournament is $35 for the younger (6-11) kids and $65 for the older (12-18) kids. Entry fee checks should be made out to the Missouri Golf Association and mailed to P.O. Box 104164, Jefferson City, MO 65110.
For more information about the tournament, call or email Randy Bickel, MGA director of junior golf, at 573 636-8994, email Rbickel@mogolf.org.
Or, you can contact the pro shop at Oak Meadow Country Club, 10700 C.R. 3110, phone 573 341-2363.
The latest individual to receive a Ken Lanning Scholarship is Tanner Dinsdale, son of Kent and Martha Dinsdale, of Rolla. Tanner Dinsdale attends Lindenwood University in St. Charles and plays on the Lindenwood golf team.

SALE ITEMS SOUGHT: The group People Helping Homeless Animals is seeking donated garage sale type items for its benefit sale set for 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, July 12, at 1011 Stoltz Dr.
For more information, call 573 368-9799.