Serve and Remember
In Ave Maria, neighbors helping neighbors and serving the community is woven into the character of the town and the fabric of everyday living. Two local veterans’ organizations exemplify those tenets of generosity and civic duty. From ceremonies at the Veterans Memorial to the annual Veterans Cup Challenge golf tournament, the Del Webb Veterans Club (DWVC) and the Ave Maria Veterans Association (AMVA) help ensure that the legacy of service men and women is celebrated and remembered throughout Ave Maria.
The DWVC held its 10th Annual Veterans Cup Challenge on April 4 at Panther Run Golf Club. The event drew 152 golfers and with support from Southwest Florida businesses and individual donors, the tournament raised more than $60,000 to help DWVC fulfill its mission of supporting homeless and disadvantaged veterans in the region.
“We would not have been as successful if it hadn’t been for the hard work of all volunteers, the generosity of all the residents in Del Webb and the support
from the Pulte Group, Hampton Golf and Damian Rose and his team,” said DWVC president Mark Clayton.
Clayton and club secretary Jeff Plys are impressed by the tournament’s growth and impact over its 10-year history. “Without this event, we would not be able to achieve our mission on assisting veterans,” they explained. The event initially struggled after Hurricane Irma, raising only $3,000 with 20 teams, but has since rebounded into a major fundraising effort.
The 11th Annual Veterans Cup Challenge is tentatively scheduled for April 3, 2027, at Panther Run Golf Club, with a goal of raising $65,000. “Our membership looks forward to working with the FDVA (Florida Department of Veterans Affairs), the Port Charlotte Veterans Nursing Home and now, in 2028, the (new) Naples Veterans Nursing Home. There are a number of other agencies that we try to assist and support wherever we can,” they said.
The AMVA honors the sacrifices of military service members and promotes outreach throughout the Ave Maria community. John Bestul, founder, vice president and longest-standing member, started the group after connecting with other local service members. “I actually started the group by seeking others interested at a Master Association Veterans Day event in 2017,” he said. “By February, we had met several times, had created bylaws and became an official organization. At the time, the only veterans’ group in Ave Maria was for Del Webb residents only. There are a number of veterans in town, and it made sense to try and bring some together.”
The organization connects veterans from all branches of the military in Ave Maria and plays a key role in Ave Maria through projects such as the Veterans Memorial Day ceremonies and civic events, including reading the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July.
Through the leadership and outreach of both the AMVA and DWVC, the legacy of military service and recognition of individual contributions to the community remain central to Ave Maria’s identity.