The sixth annual Echoes of Emma Golf Tournament brought friends, family, business associates and supporters together Aug. 24, 2026, at Green Valley Country Club in Greenville, S.C., raising funds for scholarships while honoring the memory of Emma Frances Calder.
Emma, the youngest daughter of David and Sally Calder, was 16 and a junior at Wade Hampton High School when she was killed in a car accident Sept. 15, 2020. Remembered for her kindness, compassion and love of nature and animals, Emma dreamed of attending Clemson University and becoming a marine biologist.
Following her death, the Calder family established Echoes of Emma to honor her memory by helping other young people pursue their educational goals. The organization's primary focus is a scholarship fund for Greenville County students attending Clemson University.
According to Tim Hayes, an Echoes of Emma board member, the fund has grown to approximately $749,000 during the six years of the event.
“We choose students and Clemson chooses the students, but it is based on academics and also students that have displayed acts of kindness,” Hayes told Construction Equipment Guide.
The fund is structured as a perpetuity fund, with a percentage eventually used each year to provide partial scholarships. Fourteen students are participating in the program this year, with the number expected to increase as the fund grows.
“As the fund continues to grow, we'll be able to impact more students and provide greater scholarship support,” Hayes said.
Calder Brothers Corporation, the family-owned Taylors company that manufactures Mauldin Paving Products asphalt paving equipment, plays a central role in the event. The company's facility hosts the annual party and silent auction, bringing together employees, customers, contractors and others from the construction equipment industry.
For the Calder family, the tournament has become a meaningful way to transform a devastating loss into a lasting legacy, providing educational opportunities for students while keeping Emma's memory alive.
For more information, visit echoesofemma.com and 4amauldin.com.
