DATE: Thursday, June 26, 1997               TAG: 9706250205

SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN             PAGE: 12   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, SUN SPORTS EDITOR 

                                            LENGTH:   44 lines

GENIEVE SHELTER HOSTING FIRST TOURNEY

A bunch of birdies and eagles will do more than please local golfers next month.

The Genieve Shelter, a haven for women and children victims of domestic violence, hosts its first Genieve Open golf tournament at Sleepy Hole July 11. Genieve is refurbishing its Suffolk shelter and is adding to its services.

``What we hope to get out of it is sufficient funds to complete the renovations of the Suffolk shelter,'' Genieve Shelter executive director Val Livingston said.

The Suffolk shelter, which houses six people, needs new ceiling lights, doors and a cooling system.

Genieve officials estimate the expenses at $4,500 to $5,000 before installation fees are figured in.

On Tuesday, Genieve plans to open a new shelter in Isle of Wight County.

One month later, Genieve expects to open a women's resource center. The center, available to all women, will provide computer training, typewriters and self-help videos.

The golf tournament, which is planned to be an annual event, is the second of three major fundraisers the group has on tap this year.

In March, Genieve had an auction which raised nearly $9,000. Since then, the shelter has replaced the kitchen floor, the carpet and bought new dressers.

``We had to lean the dressers against the wall so they wouldn't fall,'' Livingston said.

A masquerade party for adults in October is in the planning stage.

Genieve officials hope the party will help the shelter reach its goal of raising $21,000 from the three events.

Next month's golf tournament will be the first sporting-event fundraiser during Livingston's tenure. Previously, Genieve had 5k and 10k runs in its behalf.

Some of the sponsors for the golf tournament are Nestle, Carroll's Food of Virginia, Bennetts Creek Pharmacy, Mills&Company, Mike Duman, Amadas, Obici Hospital and BB&T.

``We're trying to get each hole sponsored,'' Livingston said.

Planters Peanuts, Union Camp and Lipton Tea have also contributed items for the golfer's grab bags.

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