This year's Butler County Community College golf fundraiser struck an ace by raising a record amount of money.

The BC3 Education Foundation held its annual gold fundraiser on Aug. 2 and raised a record $95,000, pushing the total money raised to more than $1 million since the event started in 1996.

Unrestricted funds raised during the outing go toward everything from the president's scholarship to student travel expenses during academic or athletic events.

The school's president, Nick Neupauer, called the fundraising “an incredible accomplishment” in a prepared statement.

“This is yet another example of how well our foundation is doing,” he said. “Frankly, it takes the commitment of a number of people — both internally and externally to the college — to make something like this happen.”

In the statement, school officials said endowed funds — which are not raised during the golf outing — allow the school's Education Foundation to award almost $200,000 in scholarships each year.

That funding, along with the school's financial aid and low-cost tuition, allow 75 percent of graduating students to leave debt-free.

“Graduating debt-free or with low debt is going to help you get one step farther down the road,” said Kylie Hilfiger, co-chairwoman for this year's golf outing committee. “If you have to wait 10 years to buy your first house because student debt is overwhelming you, you have set your family up for delayed retirement.”

The outing featured 113 golfers and 60 sponsors.

Ron Vodenichar, Ken Fair, Rob Voltz and Pat Preston, representing the Butler Eagle, finished first in the team scramble at Old Stonewall Golf Club with a 16-under on the par-70 course.