Merlin Olsen, a beloved former spokesman for FTD, was remembered last month with an annual golf event that generated more than $65,000 for a special place in Idaho that was always close to Olsen’s heart.
The 6th Annual Merlin Olsen Summer Classic took place July 29 at the Bear Lake West
Golf Course in Fish Haven, Idaho. The event raises funds for Bear Lake Watch, a 501
C 3 non-profit advocacy organization that represents all the stakeholders at Bear Lake in
discussions, negotiations and legislative actions pertaining to the lake. https://www.facebook.com/Merlin-Olsen-Summer-Classic-1173861965962586/
“During his lifetime, Merlin spent a considerable amount of time at Bear Lake,” according to Phillip V. Olsen, Merlin’s brother. “He was very proud of the fact that he’d spent time there every summer since he was born.”
Olsen was a Hall of Fame tackle who anchored the Los Angeles Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome.” After he retired, he found new fame as an FTD spokesperson and also through roles on TV shows such as “Little House on the Prairie” and “Father Murphy.” He died in 2010 at the age of 69. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/sports/football/12olsen.html
The event has raised more than $280,000 for the group since the event’s inception. FTD was among the sponsors of the summer classic.
