The Kirkland Boys & Girls Club hosted their 18th Annual Don James Golf Classic at the Golf Club at Newcastle.

More than 220 guests gathered to tee it up for kids and help raise over $100,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs programs.

Cobalt Mortgage, based in Kirkland, has been presenting sponsor of this event for nine years now. Cobalt is recognized as the largest privately-owned mortgage company in the state of Washington with over 17 branches throughout the western U.S. to serve homeowners’ needs.

The noon shotgun start was complete with fun and entertaining contests, raffles and hole-in-one giveaways, provided by 18 hole sponsors. After playing the rounds, the golfers came in for a cocktail hour and silent auction, followed by dinner and the live auction.

During the auction, the guests had the opportunity to hear guest speaker, former national championship coach of the Washington Huskies Don James, MC KJR-950’s Dave “Softy” Mahler, husky legend and UW hall of famer Joe Steele and auctioneer Jim Jungers.

Cobalt President Keith Tibbles presented the Kirkland Boys & Girls Club with an additional check for $15,000. This donation was secretly raised internally by Cobalt loan officers for the last month.

Executive Director Doug Wozeniak stated, “In my 20 years of Boys & Girls Club work I have never seen anything like it. The entire company gets involved. Cobalt designated us their charity of choice in 2003 and helped us raise over $750,000 in less than a decade. I am not quite sure they even realize how many lives they are changing!”

Cobalt President Keith Tibbles said: “We have seen our industry go up and down over the last decade but we have been blessed with huge growth as a company over that same lifespan. As the Kirkland Club grows to serve more and more families we wish to grow our support also.”

The event was a success thanks to presenting sponsor Cobalt Mortgage, and media sponsors ROOT Sports, and KJR 950 Sports Radio, as well as donors, DJGC Committee members and volunteers.