Kevin Cole tops a hole-in-one with a $10,000 give back

ELIZABETHTON — What would any new business owner do if they won $10,000 in a hole-in-one competition?In the time before Hurricane Helene struck the region, Kevin Cole would have had an easy answer to how he would spend the money.Cole was the new co-owner of Dino's Restaurant in downtown Elizabethton. He knew the shrewd choice was to use the money to improve upon his new investment. The hole-in-one contest had been a part of the United Way of East TN Highlands' annual benefit tournament at the Elizabethton Golf Course back in August.During the tournament, Cole learned more about what the United Way was doing to help in the most widespread natural disaster in the region's history.Cole was having a good day on the course during the tournament. He probably thought that would be his best memory of the day, until he got to the 8th hole, which is a par 3 and is 162 yards.He used an 8 iron. It was a beautiful shot. It carried perfectly in the wind. He couldn't see the hole from where he stood on the tee, but he knew it was a good shot.There was a woman at the green who could see the ball and she excitedly told him it had rolled into the hole. That was the hole which had been designated for the $10,000 prize for a hole in one.He was playing with Andrew McKeehan, the president of Carter County Bank. The bank was the presenting sponsor of the tournament. McKeehan could enjoy the happiness of everyone else over the hole-in-one because the $10,000 prize would be paid by an insurance company, not the bank.McKeehan said there had been some putting contests won during the years that Carter County Bank had served as the presenting sponsor, but this was the first time the hole in one contest had been won.Cole was exceedingly happy. Although he had previously had three other holes in one over the years, this was the first one in 15 years. It was also a good time for a windfall. He had only become partners in Dino's several months earlier and wanted to make some improvements. But he also thought about all the community needs.Cole said when he got home, he told his wife, Mel, about his good fortune and his thoughts about how to spend the money."My wife was the one who convinced me," Cole said during the check presentation ceremony on Friday morning. "The United Way has done so much for the community."He called Carter County Bank on Monday morning. The bank was the presenting sponsor for the tournament. He told bank president Andrew McKeehan that he wanted to donate the money to United Way.Cole's generosity was good news to Leslie Dalton, the president and chief executive officer of United Way of East TN Highlands. Hurricane Helene has made it a hard year for all the non profits and charitable organizations. Dalton said "our community has struggled in the past year. Hurricane Helene hit us really hard."