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The 25th anniversary of our annual Golf and Tennis Tournament was held under a sunny ski on June 7th at Lehigh Country Club.  Once again, Sovereign-Santander Bank attended as the title sponsors of the event. They were joined by participants from J.G. Petrucci, Company who served as co-hosts for the event, joining over twenty VYH corporate partners.  

More than 120 players attended the event which was chaired by Scott Muller of Gilmore and Associates, while Joann Ochse served as the tennis chairperson.

“Scott has done an outstanding job as the chairman of this event” says VYH Development Officer, Mac McCausland .“  He has brought on several new sponsors and, as a father himself, he is vested in the VYH mission.”

Joann Ochse, long-time tennis player and coach, was also serving her second year as Tennis Chair and has done an outstanding job with that venue.

Bill Brooks, of KNBT Division of National Penn Bank, was honorary chair in honor of his many years of service to the event.

“These leaders, as well as the participants from Sovereign Santander Bank and J.G. Petrucci Company made a huge difference to the event this year” said Dr. David Gilgoff, President of VYH.  “Because of them and our dedicated corporate sponsors, we were able to raise $40,000 that will be used to help homeless and abandoned children and youth."

 

Highlights of 24th Annual
Golf & Tennis Tournament
June 1st, 2009 at Lehigh Country Club

Over 150 players and volunteers met at Lehigh Country Club on Monday, June 1st to support a great cause while enjoying beautiful weather, a great course, excellent food and the companionship of some truly wonderful corporate and community leaders from our region.

The day started with a fun but competitive tennis tournament that was planned and coordinated by our first year Tennis Chair, Joann Ochse.  The tournament featured good times and fun for all. The Tennis event was sponsored by Morgan-Stanley, Fitzpatrick-Lentz-Bubba and St. Luke’s Physical Therapy, Dick Milham and West-End Racquet and Fitness.

After a sumptuous lunch, the golfers got ready to “tee-off” under a clear, blue sky. Scott Muller from Gilmore and Associates served as the Valley Youth House Tournament Chair and did a wonderful job despite the lagging economy.

Regional President Laura Azzalina and our friends at SOVEREIGN SANTANDER BANK are long-time Valley Youth House supporters and were the title sponsor for this event again this year.

They were joined by VYH partners AIR PRODUCTS, BANKO BEVERAGES, COMPUTER AID, KNBT DIVISION OF EAST PENN BANK, LAFAYETTE AMBASSADOR BANK, LINNY FOWLER, LUTRON, PP&L, PNC BANK, TEAM CAPITAL BANK AND VICTAULIC who very generously support all that VYH does.

“Getting the word out” about Valley Youth House were our Premiere Media Sponsors

Mr. John Walson, Jr. and Mike Zambelli from SECTV.

Todd Donnelly and the team at Viamedia.

Mr. Kevin Madrykowski ------ and our own Board Member Brom Lutz  from ADAMS OUTDOOR ADVERTISING. 

Bill Sheridan and the NASSAU BROADCASTING TEAM….including KJ Zabala and everyone at 99.9 the HAWK.

John Mulder and Tommy Caamano of ICARUS COMMUNICATIONS and, last but certainly not least, Tim Kennedy and Curt Mosul and all of our friends from THE MORNING CALL.

A beautiful day culminated with an up-scale dinner buffet featuring the fine food of Lehigh Country Club and an assortment of beverages donated by Banko Beverages.   The best was yet to come……

Dr. David Gilgoff, President and CEO of Valley Youth House thanked all of our supporters and explained that revenue from this event would be used to maintain VYH residential programs so that none of the youth and families we serve are relegated to living on the street.

He then introduced a member of the Valley Youth House Independent Living Program, Ms. Tasha Jenkins. Tasha was our guest speaker.

Tasha was born at 1 pound 6 ounces because of her mother’s very bad addictions and was given a 30% chance of surviving by the Doctors.  She spoke of the pain of being in the foster care system since she was 6 month’s old and her feelings of uncertainty about life caused by constant moves through a variety of foster placements. She spoke of her anger about being a victim of sexual abuse and her satisfaction that this predator was found out and placed in prison.  But mostly, Tasha spoke of hope for a very real future. She explained the progress she has made as a result of Valley Youth House counseling and programs. She reported being the first to finish high school and has just completed her first year at Northampton Community College. She has been accepted at Bloomsburg University where she will be enrolled into the Sign Language & Communication curriculum in September.   Why did she want to learn to “Sign”? 

“This major has special meaning to me, as I became interested in signing when I lived with two foster sisters who were deaf.  In order to communicate I learned to sign.  I love signing ……..I try and teach myself new signs all the time.”  “It also goes to show you that even in difficult, unfair situations, exciting discoveries are made.  I am thankful that those two girls came into my life.”  She then said:  

“Valley Youth House is an amazing program. If it wasn’t for their hard work and dedication to helping youth make something of themselves I wouldn’t know where I would be right now. I would probably be broke because I would have never known anything about saving money. Hungry because I didn’t know how to cook or even homeless because I have no family.”

Everyone who heard Tasha speak was moved by her heart and determination. In fact, many people were moved to tears as she finished her address by singing “Raise it Up” by Jamia Simone Nash from the movie August Rush.

  

It is a wonderful song with a real message:  

Seems to be nothing left for me
Momma's gone
Daddy didn't want to be
Now I'm all by myself
Wondering where is love
Or should I just give up...you know?

Chorus:

Hang in there with me
Sometimes it takes a different kind of love to raise a child”.

It was a very tough act to follow but Joann Ochse and Scott Muller did so eloquently and thanked their committees and sponsors.

Now it was time for the prizes: 4 Golfers had just won $75 each by draining a seemingly impossible putt. Scott called up the first winner to claim his money:  Johan Sundloff…..who promptly walked up, shook Scott’s hand and gave back the envelope with the cash in it saying “use it for Valley Youth House”!

Three other names were called: Tom Mutchler, Bill Redcay and Jeff Codrea…..Each of these gentlemen walked up and handed back the money to Scott in an amazing display of generosity and walked back to their seats through the applause.  Now came the 50/50……The splitting of raffle sales between Valley Youth House and the lucky name……..picked by Tasha Jenkins herself.  The winner would take home almost $1,000 dollars!

  

Tasha said later that an angel was guiding her hand as she grasped the winning ticket and apparently she was right…!  Scott called the name: Valley Youth House board member and Chairman of the Board of Lafayette Ambassador bank Mr. Bob Rupel.  With no hesitation at all, Bob strode up to Scott, took the envelope filled with cash and turned to face the crowd and particularly our President and CEO, David Gilgoff.  “David” said Bob “I don’t know how you can arrange it…….but I would like this money to be used towards Tasha’s education.”!

The room erupted into thunderous applause and all stood to salute this wonderful tribute to a youth who just needed a chance.

The actions of Bob and Johan, and Tom, and Bill, and Joe made me think of a quote by Joseph Joubert

“Children need models more than they need critics.”

There were so many true role models at the event and it was a fitting ending to a day that filled all of our hearts with joy.