Inaugural Vested Metals Charity Golf Event raises $60K

More than 90 golfers played their way around the newly-renovated St. Johns County Golf Club in Elkton earlier this month for the inaugural Vested Metals Charity Golf Tournament, according to a media release.

The event, held in memory of John Mark Leach, raised more than $60,000 for several local charities including The Players Championship Boys & Girls Club, Flagler College Cares: Emergency Relief Fund, St. John’s Housing Partnership, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Flagler Health Care Foundation, and Adaptive Superstars.

“When our colleague and friend, John Mark Leach, passed away last year, I knew that I wanted to do something to commemorate his giving spirit and zest for life,” said Viv Helwig, president and founder of Vested Metals, in the release. “At the tournament, we incorporated some of John Mark’s favorite things like ice cream sandwiches delivered halfway through the golfers’ round and a ginger ale toast during the reception. We will host this tournament every year with the goal of raising and donating $1 million to local charities over the next 10 years.”

Vested Metals was founded in 2014 by Helwig, a Jamaican native who grew up in Palm Bay, Florida and graduated from Flagler College. The distribution company is headquartered in St. Augustine and sources hard-to-find alloys, grades, and sizes for niche applications and markets such as medical, defense, aerospace, industrial, and power generation.

“Because of the generous support of our sponsors and all of the golfers that came out to play, to Vested Metals staff and, of course, John Mark’s family, the First Annual Vested Metals Charity Golf Tournament was an incredible success,” Helwig said in the release.