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'Survivor' contenstants raise funds for charity
« on: Jun 15th, 2005, 8:23am » |
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'Survivor' contenstants raise funds for charity
By JEFF PEEK
Record-Eagle staff writer
Record-Eagle/Jeff Peek
Jerri Manthey, from "Survivor: Australian Outback," lines up a putt at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. She was one of 20 former Survivor contestants participating in a charity golf outing Monday. TRAVERSE CITY - Rupert Boneham spent Monday morning on the golf course, but he didn't need to swing a golf club to score big with "Survivor" fans.
Boneham, who won $1 million after fans of CBS television's popular reality show voted him their favorite Survivor in 2003, was one of 20 former contestants who took part in a charity golf outing and dinner auction at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.
Proceeds from the event, which was sponsored by GT Resort and Casinos, will go to House of Hope, Forgiveness for All Prison Ministries, Orchard Missions, Rupert's Kids and Camp Kindle.
Fans from as far away as New Jersey joined in the fun on Monday, and Boneham - star of both "Survivor: Pearl Islands" and "Survivor: All-Stars" - drew the most attention.
The 41-year-old youth counselor and child mentor from Indianapolis said Survivor's popularity gave him a "national platform."
"The best part of 'Survivor,' honestly, is the message it sends the kids in my mentoring program, that you can lose the game twice and still win," said Boneham, whose wife, Laura, and 6-year-old daughter, Raya, traveled with him to Traverse City. "You play hard, you play with honor, you take care of the people around you - your family, your friends - and it always pays off in the end."
Boneham said his programs focus on the forgotten children who slip through the cracks of the educational and judicial systems.
"The problem with our juvenile court system is they don't concentrate on vocational skills," he said. "The message they send is: If you're good, shut up, sit down and aren't a problem, we'll let you out. But without job skills, those kids will come right back.
"You know how (the educational system) says, 'No child left behind'? Well, kids do get left behind. I know because they end up in my program."
Boneham greeted players at the 17th tee of Spruce Run on Monday, where they each played a hand of blackjack before moving on. Other Survivors also served as greeters or hosted games of chance.
Many provided light-hearted moments along the way.
Jerri Manthey, who was portrayed as a villain on "Survivor: Australian Outback," was hardly that on Monday. She was easy-going, posed for photos and signed autographs.
She also proved she can play a little golf.
After Manthey was the only member of her foursome to reach the green on the par-three 10th hole, she said: "It's nice when we can use one of my shots. I like to pretend I know what I'm doing."
Pasquel "Pappy" English, a trial court judge in Georgia - and the hole-in-one judge on No. 10, said suspects are always asking him for mercy.
"I tell them, 'If you want mercy, go to church,'" English said.
"Big" Tom Buchanon, of both "Survivor: Africa" and "All-Stars," has been known to dance a jig or two on television.
Asked if he would dance after a birdie putt, Buchanon said: "I'll dance if I make any putt."
In addition to Boneham, three other $1 million winners participated in the event: Brian Heidik (Thailand), Vecepia Towery (Marquesas) and Sandra Diaz-Twine (Pearl Islands).
Other "Survivor" contestants who spent the weekend in Traverse City were Borneo's Rudy Boesch; Thailand's Jake Billingsley, "Big" Ted Rodgers, Tanya Vance, Helen Glover and Jan Gentry; Vanuatu's James "Chad" Crittenden, Scout Cloud Lee, Brook Geraghty and runner-up Twila Tanner; Amazon's Christy Smith; Australia's Keith Famie; and Marquesas runner-up Neleh Dennis.
Heidik said the best part of being a Survivor is what came after the show was over.
" 'Survivor' gave all of us the opportunity to do something for other people," he said. "You go to a children's burn unit, where they think they're not worthy to be around other people, and you see the smiles on their faces ... that's the best part."
Said Billingsley: "The best part for me is meeting the fans. I was a fan of the show long before I was on 'Survivor.' So when I meet people who are really into it, I think, 'Hey, that's me.'"
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