Florida Tech Alumnus Wins $50,000 at Chopper Dropper
Athletics Scholarship Program Big Winner
MELBOURNE, FLA. — Chris Gibson of Houston, Texas, won the $50,000 top prize in Florida Institute of Technology’s 14th Annual Chopper Dropper fundraiser held March 24 at Suntree Country Club.
Gibson is a 2010 graduate of Florida Tech’s marine biology program.
He is among a handful of winners with Florida Tech connections from Chopper Dropper, the marquee event at the university’s biggest fundraiser for athletic scholarships, Sporting Affair, held at Suntree Country Club. It involves dropping 2,000 numbered golf balls from a helicopter onto a putting green, with the ball closest to the pin winning the holder of that number a $50,000 grand prize. There is also a $10,000 second prize and 15 $1,000 prizes, as well.
William “Randy” Muns won the $10,000 second prize and a $1,000 runner-up prize. Muns, who received his undergraduate degree from Florida Tech’s College of Business in 1978 and his master’s in business administration from Florida Tech in 1979, was a four-year letterman on the Florida Tech Panthers baseball team. The 2010 Outstanding Alumni Award winner, Muns is currently a member of the university’s Board of Trustees.
“We are honored by the show of support from this community for our annual Chopper Dropper event,” said Gina Yates, assistant director of athletic partnerships. “The success of our student athletes in the classroom and on the playing field is a reflection of the tremendous impact these supporters, friends and partners have on Florida Tech Athletics.”
In addition to Chopper Dropper, Sporting Affair featured a golf tournament, hole in one shootout, 50/50 cash raffle and a cocktail buffet reception sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi of Melbourne with food from Florida Tech athletic partners The Broken Barrel Tavern, Matt’s Casbah and Carrabba’s Italian Grill.
The money raised, from from Chopper Dropper ticket sales, athletic partners, golf teams and hole sponsors, in-kind donations and more, will benefit Florida Tech’s 22 varsity sports and cheerleading and more than 550 student-athletes.
In addition to Gibson and Muns, 14 other Chopper Dropper participants won $1,000 each as runner-up winners.
Catherine Dalrymple of Satellite Beach; David Meaden of Melbourne Beach; Lenny Stahley of Melbourne; Kerri Bower of Merritt Island; Brandon Yates of Indialantic; Josh Hetzel of Indialantic; Federico Arocena of Melbourne; Anthony Luther of Melbourne; Bill Pitten Sr. of Melbourne; Renata Spinks of Reston, Virginia; Susie Burke of Melbourne; Ella Zorbis of Satellite Beach; and Gabe Thompson and Ricardo Gotay, whose home towns were not immediately available.
Yates is graduating from Florida Tech in May with his bachelor’s degree in business/accounting. Spinks and Zorbis are both Florida Tech alumni.
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