Annual Redneck Open Golf Fundraiser Back This Summer

Golf has been one of those things during the pandemic that we've been able to continue to enjoy. You're outside, and if you're anything like me, you are always 6ft away from people because your ball is never by the other people. It's in the trees and sand and water. But you know what, it's still fun! And this one is for a good cause.

The annual Redneck Open is back August 20th at Sunrise Golf course. Tee times will be at 10am and 2pm with a two man best ball tournament. Prices are $65 a person and includes open bar. Live music from Levi Craft and Scott Stowe with BBQ provided from Mathessiens Meat Processing and catering. Told it was going to be a good time!

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The tournament raises money for two great causes.

1 - The Nate Nicholson Foundation. The foundation raises money to provide any child interested in pursuing their musical talent with the opportunity to have lessons and an instrument of their choise at no cost.

2 -Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in honor of JJ Ward. Soon after being born, JJ was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, a complete surprise to his parents who soon learned they both carried the particular gene connected with CF. Thanks to fundraisers like this, cystic fibrosis is not the same diagnosis it was in years past. Your help will keep pushing towards a cure.

Get out there and wack some balls around (aim for the hole), have some drinks, eat some food and support a great cause! Sign up your team today right here on their Facebook page.

Iowa's Island City

There is something unique about every town, but there is really something special about Sabula, IA. Known as "Iowa's Island City," Sabula is the only town in the state of Iowa that is entirely on an island. While not a lot of people have been to, or live in Sabula, it is a quaint little town nestled right on the Mississippi River.

Before we show you around "Iowa's Island City," let me give you the history of Sabula. Sabula was established in 1835, according History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 1 by James Whitcomb Ellis. Isaac Dorman and a man named Hinkley crossed the river from the Illinois side on a log and decided to settle on what is now Sabula. An Ohio couple, James and Margaret Woods would settle on Sabula about a year later in April of 1836. Their son, Dr. E. A. Woods would purchase Hinkley's interest in the claim. Charles Swan and W. H. Brown would soon purchase Dorman's interest. The three men, Woods, Swan and Brown later had the land plotted in 1837.

The idea behind plotting the land was because there was no town between Lyons (north Clinton) and Bellevue. The plot of the new town was recorded in Dubuque as this area was part of Dubuque county at the time, according History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 1 by James Whitcomb Ellis.

According to Island City Harbor's website, Sabula went through a few names before landing on the official town name. In 1837, Sabula was first called Carrollport. Residents of the town didn't like the name because there was a man's name who was Carroll who had a bad reputation. The town changed its name to Charleston, after early settler Charles Swan. The only issue was that there was already a town called Charleston in Iowa which caused much confusion.

In 1846 the settler’s decided to find a name. Island City Harbor's website says that because of it’s sandy soil, William Hubble suggested the town be called "Sabulum" which is Latin for sand. A party was being held around the time the town name was being discussed, when a woman, supposed to be Miss Harriet Hudson, suggested the town be called Sabula as it was easier to pronounce and sounded more elegant, according History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 1 by James Whitcomb Ellis.

Sabula did not actually become an island until 1939. According to Wikipedia, in the 1930's, the Army Corps of Engineers constructed the lock and dam system. In 1939, Lock and Dam No. 13 between Clinton, IA and Fulton, IL was built which caused the bottomlands west of the town permanently flooded. With the Mississippi River east of the town, this created the "Island City." A levee was built around Sabula in 1957 for protection, according to Island City Harbor's website. This also allowed for the south sand pit to be turned into a boat harbor.

I would like to thank my mom Beth, her fiancé Matt, my brother Nolan and my wife Ellie for accompanying me to Sabula. We always have a blast on our trips and this one was no exception.

It's now time to introduce you to Sabula, Iowa, Iowa's Island City.

Filed Under: Bettendorf, golf, jj ward, nate nicholson, quad cities, redneck open

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