Pexels/mikhail nilov
When former Woodbury City Council member Paul Rebholz died in 2020, his family decided to create an event that would celebrate his life in happier times. They wanted to raise money for a cause that Rebholz would appreciate. Around then, Dixie Ewing, founding member of Woodbury Community Foundation (WCF), approached them to fund a community-based scholarship.
A fundraiser golf tournament was organized for the first anniversary of his passing. “It was very well received. We had a lot of fun meeting his business associates, people he coached with, he networked with,” says son Josh Rebholz. The family decided to make this an annual event.
Round Fore Rebs is held every August, and proceeds from the sign-ups to play golf are donated to WCF’s Youth Engagement Leadership Academy (YELA).
YELA educates high school juniors/seniors about how city government works. In the five-week course, they hear from the mayor, county commissioners, state representatives and local leaders in business and nonprofit. It hopes to foster a feeling of giving back to the community at a young age. In 2023, YELA’s second year, rising seniors wrote essays about how the program motivated them to become better citizens. The winning essay received $5,000, others received $1,000 as college scholarships from Round Fore Rebs.
“Paul brought out the ability to build a community. The people who have been showing up are just the best group of people,” says his wife, Laura Rebholz.
Manali Shah is an active volunteer in Woodbury and Washington County. Find more at woodburycommunityfoundation.org
