The Villages - August 2018 - 17

The Sophisticated Gents at Lake
Sumter Landing in 2016.

100 members who are al"We have a group of
ways searching for new
about 10 of our members
ways to give back to the
who go into the schools
community.
once a week to meet with
"(We are) predominantvarious students who have
ly minority professionals
shown they are in need of
who all have had careers
mentoring - not necesin various professions,"
sarily tutoring, but mensaid Vernon Haley, Sophistoring," Haley said. "We're
ticated Gents president.
trying to give them some
(Our gOal) is tO
"I'm from higher educainsight into what education
Outreach tO the
tion. We have judges, lawis all about, how you get
cOmmunity here,
yers, doctors, postal workinto college and how you
e s p e c i a l ly f O r
ers, government workers
get money to go to school."
- you name it."
Providing scholarships
minOrities, in terms
Haley, of the Village of
requires funding, and the
Of trying tO give
Woodbury, said most memSophisticated Gents again
them sOme insights
bers of the Sophisticated
teamed up with the Afi n t O w h at i t i s
Gents are college gradurican-American Club to
abOut - getting an
ates, and as the group
host the annual Friendship
e
d
u
c
a
t
i
O
n
,
g
e
t
t
i
n
g
was discussing how they
Golf Tournament. AccordintO a career,
wanted to help the commuing to Haley, the Sophisticatnity, the topic of education
ed Gents gave out $55,000
hOw yOu get mOney
came to the forefront.
the past school year, and all
tO gO tO schOOl
"(Our goal) is to outof that money came from
and dO thOse types
reach to the community
the golf tournament. The
Of things.
here, especially for minorinext Friendship Golf Tour-
Vernon
Haley
ties, in terms of trying to
nament is Nov. 3 at Harbor
give them some insights
Hills Country Club.
into what it is about - getting an education, getting
The Sophisticated Gents' business card proudly disinto a career, how you get money to go to school and do
plays the goals of the club on the front: "Companionship,
those types of things," Haley said.
intellectual discourse and whenever possible, to do good."
The Sophisticated Gents works with high schools in
Among the myriad other events and opportunities
the tri-county area, including The Villages High School,
they participate in throughout the year, the Gents
Wildwood High School, Leesburg High School and Lake
found a possibility to do good in the community by
Weir High School. Members of the Gents visit schools
providing scholarships and mentoring to students in
to reach out to students they feel meet their criteria for
need at local high schools.
scholarship eligibility.
"We do a lot of other things, but getting into the
In the process of looking for students who were elihigh schools is a key piece of what we do," Haley said.
gible for their scholarship, the Gents noticed a need for
"We feel as though working with these students in the
mentoring in schools.
high schools is probably our number one priority."

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