BREMERTON — Alumni from the North Kitsap School District hit the greens for a reunion of sorts July 28 in an effort to raise another type of greens for upcoming graduates.

The 72 participants hit a hole in one in this respect, bringing in more than $19,000 during the third annual North Kitsap Alumni Fund Scholarship Golf Tournament at Gold Mountain Gold Course in Bremerton. Proceeds will help fund local scholarships for the class of 2008.

“It’s so wonderful to see everyone come together for this,” said North Kitsap Education Foundation member Jane Ritley. “Five scholarship recipients from the 2007 graduating class came to attend the event, too. It was a good chance for alumni to take out of the fine products of our school district. Both alumni and the students appreciated getting a chance to meet each other.”

North Kitsap High School class of 1960 graduate Roger Bird was among those toting their golf bags during the sunny day on the links.

“It was a mix of everyone from alumni, to friends of alumni to faculty,” Bird said. “Everyone here understands this event is all about raising money, but it’s also pretty fun bumping into people you haven’t seen in a while. It’s kind of like a high school reunion, but instead of one class all of the classes are together. It gives all of us a chance to catch up.”

Bird said he enjoyed the camaraderie on the fairways at Gold Mountain.

“We had alumni golfers from the class of 1957 all the way up to the class of 2005,” he said. “We had twice the amount of people than we had at last year’s tournament. Everybody had a great time. There were golfers with a zero handicap to golfers with a 50 handicap.”

Bird said tentative plans are in place to switch the play date from July to September for next year’s tournament — something which he feels will further increase the number of players.

“More members of the faculty will be able to participate because its during the school year,” he said. “During the summertime many members of the school are out of town on vacation. We’re hoping to double the turnout at the tournament again next year.”

Ritley agreed.

“There’s so much going on for everyone in July,” she said. “Each year this tournament keeps on getting bigger and bigger.”

Ritley is confident the tournament will continue its prosperous trend.

“Everyone golfing is so happy to be there,” she said. “When they leave they always say, ‘We’ll be back.’ They usually do come back.”