Poston Rotary memorial golf tournament set for April 18 in Parker

A memorial golf tournament tied to scholarships for agriculture-minded youth again showed how Parker turns recreation into local fundraising. The Poston Rotary Club says the Bill Chrismer Memorial Golf Tournament is one of its two major annual fundraisers, and the 35th annual event was played Saturday, April 18, at Emerald Canyon Golf Course.

That matters in a county where recognizable civic groups still drive a lot of community life. Poston Rotary says the money it raises helps support scholarships for young people interested in agriculture who are deserving of support, while also backing community work beyond the golf course. The club’s projects page points to efforts such as Pop Harvey Park, underscoring that the tournament is not just a social outing but part of a broader civic pipeline that channels local dollars and volunteer energy back into Parker.

The chamber’s April calendar placed the tournament alongside the La Paz County Board of Supervisors meeting on April 20 and the Parker Town Council meeting on April 21, a reminder that mid-April was packed with local activity. That calendar slot also reinforced the tournament’s role as a civic signal, not simply a sports event. In a small town like Parker, a memorial fundraiser linked to a service club carries social weight because it brings together sponsors, players and volunteers around a name that still resonates.

Poston Rotary describes the tournament as a Best Ball Scramble held once a year at Emerald Canyon Golf Course, the par-72 championship course overlooking the Colorado River. The timing also fits Parker’s seasonal rhythm, with events stacking up before the hottest months arrive. Emerald Canyon said its 2026 Emerald Canyon Open Golf Tournament was scheduled for April 24-26, showing how active the local golf scene was in late April.

The Bill Chrismer event has been a fixture for years. A 2021 Parker Pioneer item listed the 31st annual tournament, and the 2026 report said the 35th annual memorial tournament was played at Emerald Canyon on April 18. That kind of continuity is what gives the tournament its local force: it honors a remembered name, funds scholarships, and keeps Parker’s service culture visible in a county where community institutions still matter.