Who wants to be a millionaire?

If you are a golfer, you won't have to compete on the television show "Survivor" to be one.

Area residents can hit the links for an opportunity at winning $1 million at the Second Annual Cardinal Center Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Shoot- Out for just $1 per ball.

The qualifying competition is July 8 and 9 with the final shoot-out July 23.

How does the competition work?

On July 8 and 9, anyone who pays $1 per swing can hit golf ball(s) at a hole 90 yards away from the tee at golf courses throughout Kosciusko and Marshall counties. Participating golf courses are Maxwelton and South Shore golf clubs in Syracuse, Little Bighorn and Raccoon Run golf clubs in Warsaw, Plymouth Rock in Plymouth and Sprig-O-Mint, Bremen.

The five people closest to the pin at each location win qualification prizes and will proceed to the final competition July 23 at Stonehenge Golf Course, Warsaw.

Final competition requires a longer shot of 135 yards to the pin. Any finalist making a hole-in-one on the "Million Dollar Hole" during the finals will share the million dollars equally with Cardinal Center Inc. The Hole-In-One winner will receive $500,000 and the Cardinal Center will receive $500,000 payable over 30 years.

Additionally, a cash jackpot hole will be near the $1 million hole. Other prizes will be available during the final shoot-out.

The event proceeds will be used for the Cardinal Center endowment. Cardinal Center is a not-for-profit human services organization for adults and children with disabilities.

"On an annual basis," said corporate vice president Randy Hall, "we serve 250 adults and 300 children."

Hall said they serve adults in five counties, including Kosciusko, Fulton, Marshall, Cass and Carroll. Services for adults with disabilities include job placement and support, vocational training, life skills training, assisted living and transportation.

"The child services include Head Start, First Steps, Women, Infants and Children and Healthy Families," said Hall.

Healthy Families is a parent education program to get families with new babies off to a good start, he said. WIC is a nutrition education and food voucher program, while First Steps is an early intervention program for children birth through age 3 who experience developmental delays or are "at risk" of delay, Hall said.

The Cardinal Center Million Dollar Hole-In-One golf committee is working with communities in northern Indiana to make the event a success.

Nearly 200 volunteers will be needed to help cover various positions at the six sites. Many area corporations, businesses and individuals are sponsoring the event with various donations and volunteer time.

R.R. Donnelley and Sons Co., is the primary sponsor. In addition to providing funds to help cover some of the event expenses, nearly 100 Donnelley employees are volunteering their time to help throughout the weekend of the qualifying competition July 8 and 9.

Volunteers from the Syracuse Lions Club are helping at the Maxwelton Golf Course site.

Volunteers will work at the six golf courses measuring golf balls at the 90-yard hole, helping register participants, assigning the various colored golf balls to people wanting to try to qualify for the finalsand transporting food to workers at the various sites.

Cynthia Pergrem, Cardinal Center director of development, said their goal this year is to raise $25,000. Last year, she said, their goal was $15,000 and they netted $27,000.

"We're hoping to net much more than that. With golfer support, we'll be able to raise much more than that," she said.

Sponsors will attend the Media Day Festivities at Raccoon Run to help with the kick-off. While participating in the media day festivities, sponsor representatives will hit their golf shots at the "media day" qualification hole. [[In-content Ad]]