Serving the community since 1970
Serving the community since 1970
Jesse's brother Raymond Acebedo with sons Ben (driver) and Jeff (right) at the memorial golf tournament.
Tim Valenzuela, Jesse's brother-in-law from Visalia, sinks a birdie.
Jeff Acebedo, Jesse's son, stands with his wife, Callie, in front of the auction item table, showcasing donations for the event.
Matt Fisher, Jeff Paglia, David Villarreal, and Jesse's son Keith Acebedo come together with friends.
Susan Pfeiffer with Cheyenne Custer, who said she loves the event and that the best part is getting to see friends she hasn't seen in a while.
Mike Lugo Sr. and Mike Lugo Jr. enjoy a memorable day of golf together at the memorial tournament, celebrating Jesse Acebedo's legacy.
Traci Mills-Clendenen and Orquidea Ocampo of the Orange Heart Foundation manned the watering hole.
The 8th Annual Jesse Acebedo Memorial Golf Tournament took place on Saturday, with 34 teams gathering to celebrate the life of Jesse Acebedo, who dedicated much of his life to serving in law enforcement, empowering Wasco youth and actively contributing to the community. Proceeds from the event benefited the Wasco Community Scholarship Association.
Jesse's sons, Keith, Ben, and Jeff created the memorial golf tournament as a tribute to him. Ben shared, "When we first started, it was just my brothers and me handling everything ourselves. Initially, we planned to stop after five years. Then, we connected with the Wasco Community Scholarship Association, which was looking for a fundraiser. It made sense for them to take on the sponsor side, freeing us up to focus on the tournament itself.
"This change has had a huge impact on the money we've been able to raise for scholarships. Now, we're able to provide scholarships in perpetuity, which is exactly what we hoped to achieve. We wanted to do this because he cast a big shadow in Wasco, and we're not him, but we're able to cast a big shadow in Wasco through this tournament."
Orquidea Ocampo, a WCSA director, said, "I've been involved with the Wasco Community Scholarship Association for three to four years now, and one of the reasons I wanted to be a part of it is because I believe in their mission. They give back to Wasco High graduates by helping them achieve their educational goals through scholarships. That's exactly what Jeff was doing when he founded the Jesse Memorial Golf Tournament. Now, he's become part of the Wasco Community Scholarship Association, so the tournament's proceeds go to those same Wasco High students."
This year, the tournament raised $40,000, including a generous $16,000 donation from the Hankins Family. Another WCSA director, Sharon Nicol, said, "This golf tournament was gifted to the scholarship association from Jesse's family. We're very grateful for that partnership with them. I know in my heart that Jesse would be very pleased with how these funds are distributed."
Many friends and family came to show their support for Jesse, who touched countless lives. One of them was Edward Moreno, a WHS coach for 30 years. "He was like a dad to me and had a very big impact. He inspired me to be the golf coach that I was. He taught me that when you coach, make the kids believe they belong out there and create the atmosphere for them to succeed in a sport that historically isn't meant for poor kids."
Jesse's younger brother, Raymond Acebedo, also attended the tournament, saying, "It makes me happy knowing that this is what my brother loved. He loved to golf. He was a people person and community-minded. I miss him dearly."
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