Rocky Patel Foundation hosting upcoming charity golf tournament

The Old Corkscrew Golf Club in Estero, Florida, will be the site for a special charity golf tournament this Saturday, May 28^th. The Rocky Patel Foundation is responsible for the event, and its proceeds will go towards the construction of an educational housing facility in Danli, Honduras, for underprivileged children.

The tournament will tee off at 9 AM. Besides golf, there will be plenty of food, beverages, and prizes available to those lucky enough to attend. Tickets are priced at $150 and are said to be very limited in supply.

Brand owner Rocky Patel started the foundation in 2008. He stated the reasoning behind its creation in a press release on the company's website, www.rockypatel.com: “I started the Rocky Patel Foundation because I saw a need to build an educational housing facility to help homeless and underprivileged children in Danlí, Honduras. I felt by building this school, I could make an impact in the lives of these children, and try to end the cycle of poverty that they are trapped in.” Patel's ties to Honduras are rather extensive, as the majority of his brand's cigars are produced there. Patel claims to employ approximately 2,000 workers in Central America.

If golf is not your thing but you still hope to partake in some of Patel's festivities on Saturday, there will also be a gala in nearby Naples, Florida, at 6 PM. The Rooftop at the Strada at the Mercato will be the backdrop for the gala, which promises dinner, dancing, live entertainment, plus a silent and live auction. Tickets cost $150.

If you plan on being in the area and would like to attend either event, you are urged to contact Gerrianne Puntervold by calling 239-593-1833 extension 652.

Maryland bans cigar purchases through mail and internet

Maryland residents recently saw their legal options for purchasing cigars diminish when House Bill 88 went into action on May 1^st. HB 88 prohibits the purchase and sale of Other Tobacco Products (OTP) by mail or over the internet. Governor Martin O'Malley signed off on the bill after it was passed by the State House and Senate last year with the hopes that it would help prevent smuggling and tax avoidance.

Not surprisingly, HB 88 has caused an uproar. Many believe that the move was only made to protect the state's cigar retailers. While that could be true, the law's supporters have stated that retailers were actually part of the problem, as some of them purchased and sold OTP illegally to avoid paying tobacco taxes. Since the law is so new, it will take time to see how it affects the cigar industry in Maryland, although one could predict that the impact will be negative. As the saying goes, “Where there's a will, there's a way.”