Phillip Serls was driving down the road at Meadia Heights Golf Club when he noticed a plaque with the inscription "Bob Gingher Highway." His first thought was to ask himself if Gingher was alive.

Gingher, a Meadia Heights member for more than 25 years, was alive and well. Two days later, the pair bumped into each other at the club and played a round of golf together. A friendship ensued; Serls said that even at 60 years of age, Gingher taught him a lot about life.

Gingher, who spent his later years at Willow Valley Communities, passed away in February at the age of 86. Serls got an idea.

"I stood up like an idiot and said, 'I think we should start the Bob Gingher Memorial Golf Tournament,'" Serls said. "That was in March, after the funeral. We kicked it around for several months, and finally, in early June, we started to put a committee together."

The inaugural Bob Gingher Memorial Charity Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, Oct. 12, at Meadia Heights Golf Club, 402 Golf Road, Lancaster.

Gingher taught within the Pequea Valley School District for 22 years before serving in administration for the next 12 years. In 1993, he was named Pennsylvania's Assistant Principal of the Year. He was also heavily involved in the Pequea Valley Library (now the Intercourse Library), Christiana Masonic Lodge No. 417 and the Paradise Sportsman's Association.

The tournament will support two entities: the Pequea Valley Education Foundation (PVEF) and the William S. Baer School, located in Baltimore, Md. Gingher's son is a principal at the Baer School.

"This golf outing is a heartfelt tribute to Bob and a celebration of the life he lived, the people he touched and the lasting impact he made on our community," said Sandy Miller, an organizer of the event. "We gather to not only honor his memory but to carry forward the values he cherished by supporting educational opportunities for all students."

On the day of the event, check-in and registration will begin at 10:30 a.m.; the practice range will be open during that time. There will be a shotgun start to the tournament at noon. Welcome remarks will be made just prior; the tournament will be played under a scramble format. Individual golfers are welcome and will be placed into groups of four, with a maximum limit of 100 golfers.

The tournament's registration fee includes the round of golf, use of a cart, snacks and dinner at the end of the day. Registration can be done by emailing slmiller830@gmail.com; any general questions about the tournament should be directed to the same address. Registrations are due by Monday, Sept. 28.

Dinner and an awards ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. There will be a cash bar open during that time. Awards for closest to the pin, furthest drive and similar feats will be given. On the registration form, there is also an option for those who want to attend the dinner but do not wish to golf.

Sponsorships are available for the tournament, ranging from hole sponsors to the tournament as a whole. Different tiers of sponsorship grant various perks, such as logo placement on signage, recognition at the award ceremony, free rounds of golf and placement on tournament-related social media posts. Sponsorships are also due on Sept. 28 and can be done by emailing the aforementioned address. Those who cannot attend the tournament are welcome to make monetary donations to support the tournament and the two organizations it supports.

The PVEF was formed in 2013 to enrich the educational, cultural and athletic experiences of students in the district. It primarily funds classroom grants, technology upgrades and early learning initiatives for the local community. Its mission supports innovative educational opportunities and removes barriers to learning by financing community programs.

More specifically, the PVEF funds field trips, scholarships to seniors pursuing postsecondary education, grants for individual teachers and the annual Williamsburg trip, making sure that no child gets left behind.

"Our goal is to make sure that no child who comes to Pequea Valley goes without the extras," said Amy Koberstein, assistant principal at Pequea Valley Secondary and member of the PVEF board. "There is no other school in Lancaster County that is as committed to making sure that each kid who graduates from their school has the next step lined up."

The William S. Baer School has been open for more than 75 years and serves Baltimore as a leader in inclusive, therapeutic education for students with disabilities. Projects include specialized therapeutic equipment, a music garden, class trips, a library renovation and an on-site physical and occupational therapy suite.