As a valuable networking event for the industry, the Garbageman鈥檚 Invitational鈥檚 goal is to bring people industry together, while providing a unique, one-of-a-kind experience that they will not forget.
As Garbageman鈥檚 Invitational (GMI) celebrates its 14th year, those who have attended in the past know that it is the place to be from June 25 鈥� 27 in Temecula, CA. Held annually at the Journey Golf Course at Pechanga Resort & Casino, with the opening reception at the Blackwater Saloon, owned by Cole Burr, CEO of Burrtec Waste Industries, the GMI brings people from across the nation together to network, meet, raise money, and have a good time.
One of a Kind Event
Created by Kerry Holmes of CONFAB and Ray Burke of Clean Energy, Garbageman鈥檚 Invitational was created with the focus to make this type of golf tournament event a one-of-a-kind experience that is so unique that no other tournaments would provide the same experience. 鈥淲e are proud that it is our 14th year. We have people tell us that they will never miss it and that they block it off in their calendar way in advance. Senior level decision makers come from all over the country to attend. While we started out with people coming mainly from the West Coast, within the last few years, it has expended to nationwide. The goal is to be the event that everyone wants to come to,鈥� says Burke. 鈥淢any people from the East Coast will bring their families, and they鈥檒l tie it into a vacation to visit to San Diego, Disneyland, beaches, wineries, etc. The location of the event is just as good as a major casino in Las Vegas. It is a five-star resort. People usually come in Monday or Tuesday afternoon and hang out at the hotel at the pool. They have waterslides. It is incredible. People just enjoy coming out and spending time at the venue.鈥�
鈥淚t sells out fast, so everyone knows that when we send out the invite you better get on it and register because we only have so many spaces,鈥� emphasizes Holmes. 鈥淎s word continues to spread throughout the industry and the event gets more attention, it has really grown primarily through word of mouth. That type of grass roots development is really the best way to build a business or event. As a result, currently, we have about 70 percent recurring attendees and 30 percent new ones. This year, we are expecting between 350 to 400.鈥�
Choosing the Theme
After considering a variety of possible themes, Holmes and Burke settled on this year鈥檚 theme because they wanted to make it interesting for not only those who are attending, but also to see what the vendors would offer that would be in line with You Only Live Once. For example, CONFAB is giving away four tandem skydiving jumps. 鈥淎t Lake Elsinore, CA, there is one of the premier skydiving locations in the country, where all the professional go to train, so we are going to send four people there,鈥� says Holmes. Ray Burke鈥檚 company, Clean Energy, is giving away two IKON passes. 鈥淲ith these you can ski at any premier destination in North America (U.S. and Canada),鈥� explains Burke. Holmes points out that both giveaways are valued at $1,500 each. There will also be three golf flights (A, B, C) and each one of those winners will win a Bugatti Electric Scooter, while second and third place will earn cash prizes. 鈥淣ot only are the prizes spectacular, but sponsors are giving away sunglasses, portable speakers for your golf bag, golf gloves and shirts, and at the end of the day your bag is full of goodies as well.鈥� Last year one sponsor give away a motorcycle golf cart and another gave everyone who came through the course a bottle of whiskey.
Networking Party
With the opening party at Cole Burr鈥檚 ranch, the Blackwater Saloon, this incredible venue makes the networking portion of the event special. 鈥淲hen Kerry and I started Garbageman鈥檚 Invitational, our very first party was at the Eagles Nest on the top floor of the Pechanga Casino, and Cole Burr was there, and we have known him for many years. He told us if are going to do this next year, let鈥檚 have it at my ranch. And that is how it started,鈥� explains Burke.
Not only do people enjoy the festivities, but they can also tour the 80-acre ranch. 鈥淲e want to thank Burrtec Industries for hosting the opening night party and for providing the golf carts so people can tour the equestrian center and see everything on the ranch,鈥� says Holmes. Burke agrees, 鈥淐ole Burr鈥檚 daughters were world class horse jumpers, and he has a big training facility there with the horses and the trophies on display. He also has African Watutsis there. You can see them as soon as you come into the property and then just down the path is the training center and trophy rooms.鈥�
They both point out that many people will just come for the opening night party and the opportunity to see people, network, enter raffles, and bid on auction items. Once they show up, everything is paid for and that is what attendees love. At the opening party, there is usually a DJ, a cigar roller, and a magician brought in from Las Vegas every year who walks around the party performing his mind benders. For the auction items, there Apple Watches to iPads, overnight stays in wine country, and more. Some of the big raffle and auction items this year include a fly-fishing experience at Griffin Cabin on the Royal Big Horn River in Montana. Says Holmes, 鈥淥ne of my best friends is Tony Griffin, Merv Grifin鈥檚 son, and he has a fabulous place out there. He is donating three nights for attendees to bid on. Another big one we always do a big trip to Tahiti for two, all expenses paid. This is donated by Aonui Adventures.鈥�
Burke chimes in, 鈥淥ur Clean Energy CEO has a 50+ foot yacht that he uses for fishing, and he donates time on that as well. These three things go for a lot of money. It helps us grow the $20,000 to $30,000 that we start with at registration to about $50,000 and it keeps going up. This money is given to Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) for a scholarship in GMI鈥檚 name and they continue to fund the scholarship awardee until they graduate.鈥�
Donating to a Cause
Since the creation of the GMI event, Holmes and Burke have made it a point to partner with the EREF and it has resulted in a very successful program. 鈥淪ince 2011, our first year, we鈥檝e raised $227,290 and so far, this year, before the event we鈥檝e raised $25,000. We ask for a donation when you register and many of the sponsors will have an individual game at their golf hole and the winner of that game, depending on if they are paying to play it, that money goes to EREF or they win prizes at that particular hole,鈥� says Holmes.
Comments Bryan Staley, EREF鈥檚 President and CEO, 鈥淓REF and GMI have a longstanding relationship for which the Foundation is incredibly grateful. We鈥檝e been the named charity for this event for many years and are so appreciative of the support from Kerry Holmes, Mike Melideo, Mike Schwalbach, and Ray Burke as well as Wastequip and their vendors.鈥�
鈥淎s an independent research foundation, events like GMI are critical to accomplishing our mission. The sponsors of the Garbageman鈥檚 Invitational felt strongly that there should be an element of giving back to the industry. EREF, with its presence throughout North America, is well aligned with the Garbageman鈥檚 Invitational鈥檚 goal to attract more industry leaders throughout the United States and Canada, which prompted Kerry, Mike, Mike, and Ray to endow a named scholarship. One hundred percent of all donations made through the Garbagemen鈥檚 Invitational go to graduate students pursuing excellence in sustainability research and education,鈥� Staley continues.
Currently, four of the Foundation鈥檚 38 scholars are doing research or are located on the West Coast and EREF has multiple research efforts underway at research institutions based on the West Coast, which is why the Garbageman鈥檚 Invitational enables EREF to further address not only issues nationally, but also those that are specific to the West Coast.
An example of the impact created by GMI is embodied our current named scholar Elisabeth Van Roijen who began pursuing her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California Davis in the Fall of 2020. Her research examines the rapid consumption of single-use plastics and the environmental impacts of bio-based plastics at end-of-life. This research could help decisionmakers better prepare for a bio-based plastic economy,鈥� Staley explains.
Working Together
As a great networking event for the industry, this year they have people from the National Waste & Recycling Association, Michael Hoffman, attending, as well as from the R2D2 association in California. 鈥淲e are just trying to bring these people together. Anything that we can do to strengthen the industry cause, we are trying to accomplish here together at this event,鈥� says Holmes. 鈥淩ay and I have enjoyed the industry and our personal friendship and being able to provide a place where everyone can be together is just phenomenal and we thoroughly enjoy it. The value of networking here is unmatched. This is a rare opportunity for companies that are looking to do acquisitions, make deals, meet people, and have a relaxed environment for discussion and negotiations. Ray and I have heard of all kinds of deals that have been consummated at our event. Not only is GMI a thank you to our customers, but this kind of valuable networking is the focus.鈥� | WA
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For more information on EREF, e-mail [email protected].