Photo by Jason Joyce
The late Byron Nelson was an
advocate for raising money for
the education of children.
Stress from upcoming final exams won’t be the only source of student tension at North Lake College in late April.
From April 23 through April 27, the school will lend between 600 and 800 parking spots near North Lake’s MacArthur Boulevard entrance to the Salesmanship Club of Dallas.
The Salesmanship Club is the main sponsor of the annual EDS Byron Nelson tournament held at the Four Seasons Resort on MacArthur. The tournament, hosted by the PGA (Professional Golf Association) Tour, raises millions for charity each year.
In past years, North Lake has given up anywhere from 800 to 1,000 parking spaces, offi cials reported. Fewer spots are available this year because of ongoing campus construction projects that alreadyhave claimed about 200 spaces for stockpiling of building materials. “Students are our top priority,” said J.C. Drake, chief of the campus police department.
During the tournament, all students will be directed to park in the south lot near the Walnut Hill Lane entrance. Once that lot is full, campus police will direct students to vacant spots in the north lot. “There will be an adequate [amount of] signage to help direct traffi c,” Drake said. “We [the police] will direct students to the south lot. We will make adjustments as the south lot fills up.” North Lake has lent parking spaces to the Salesmanship Club for more than 20 years. Although no money is exchanged between North Lake and the Salesmanship Club, the club donates Nelson tickets to the college. Tickets are split between students and staff.
So why does North Lake help? The Salesmanship Club is a charitable organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and their families in the Dallas area. The club sponsors the Nelson each spring. Proceeds from the tournament benefi t children at the J. Erik Jonsson Community School in Oak Cliff. It’s a school for children who are experiencing behavioral or emotional diffi culties.
“The Byron Nelson tournament is very unique to the PGA tour,” said Tracy Cobb, director of communications for the Salesmanship Club.
Over the past 40 years, the EDS Byron Nelson has helped raise more than $100 million to assist children and families in Dallas, Salesmanship offi - cials said. In 2007, the golf tournament raised over $6 million for charity. Because the tournament attracts large numbers of golf fans, campus offi cials urged all students to be cautious of heavy traffi c and backups on both MacArthur and North Lake’s streets. Officials said congestion is expected to be especially heavy on April 25.
“I suggest that [everyone] give [themselves] a little extra time because of traffic,” said Dr. Herlinda Glasscock, North Lake’s president. “Please cooperate with NLC police as they work hard to facilitate the flow of traffic.”