By Rob Potter
SOUTH FALLSBURG — May 20, 2005 – Nearly 50 golfers spent last Saturday playing 18 holes for a very good cause.
A total of 12 foursomes participated in the Third Annual Jake Classic Golf Outing at Tarry Brae Golf Course in South Fallsburg. The scramble format tournament, which is proudly sponsored by the Sullivan County Probation Officers’ Association (SCPOA), is named after and honors the memory of Jacob E. Gunther III, who served residents of both Orange and Sullivan Counties as Assemblyman for the New York State Assembly’s 98th District.
All proceeds from the event benefit the Jacob E. Gunther III Criminal Justice Scholarship Fund. As was the case at the 2003 and 2004 events, two 98th District high school seniors – one from Orange County and one from Sullivan County – were presented with scholarships at the awards ceremony immediately following the golf tournament. This year’s scholarships are worth $1,000 each.
The two recipients were Kate Gessner, a senior at Port Jervis High School, and Chris Paddock, a senior at Liberty Central School. Both students were notified that they had won the scholarships before the golf outing so they could make plans to be at the awards ceremony.
“I was really happy,” Gessner said of the moment she found out that she had been chosen to receive one of the Gunther scholarships.
She will attend SUNY Canton and study criminal investigation.
“It is an honor to be chosen to receive this scholarship,” Paddock said. “It was a pleasant surprise.”
He will major in criminal justice at Marist College in Poughkeepsie and his career goal is to become a New York State Trooper.
Tournament Chairman Lou Setren and 98th District Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, who is the Honorary Chairperson of the event named for her late husband, presented the scholarships to Gessner and Paddock.
“I want to thank you all for holding this golf tournament in Jake’s memory,” Aileen Gunther said. “It’s a great legacy for Jake that you are providing funds to these deserving students so they can pursue their goals.”
Aileen Gunther also noted that her father-in-law Jacob Gunther II golfed in the event for the first time. She also said that she plans on golfing in the 2006 Jake Classic.
Other members of the family who golfed on Saturday were Bill Gunther, brother of Jake Gunther III, Adam Gunther, nephew of Jake Gunther III, and Ben Reimer, who is married to Jake and Aileen Gunther’s daughter Mary Alice.
Ben and Mary Alice’s infant daughter Scarlett was also at the awards ceremony.
When all of the golf scores had been tallied, the foursome representing the New York State Department of Corrections had won first place and the Jake Cup trophy. The members of the team included Glen Goord, who is the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Corrections, Doug Appel, Tim Phipps and Nate Steingart.
The top civilian team was the foursome of Bill Berger, Steve Moglia, Mark Seashultz and Fred Smith. Their prize for finishing first was four passes to the Crestor Challenge, a PGA event that will be held later this year at the Westchester Country Club.
Following those presentations, Setren and the other tournament organizers awarded special prizes for achievements such as closest to the pin and longest drive. Setren also presented gifts to two octogenerians who played in the event – Jacob Gunther II, who is 83 years old, and Allan Whitney, who is 88.
As he spoke to the golfers, Setren noted that Robert Green Chevrolet of Monticello had provided the hole-in-one prize of a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer for this year’s event and that the dealership would supply a vehicle for a hole-in-one prize at all future Jake Classic tournaments.
Setren acknowledged the hard work and dedication of event facilitators Robert Grimm and PGA Professional Glenn Sonnenschein, SCPOA Coordinating Committee members Thomas Fogarty and Linda Lukoff and SCPOA President Anthony Warren, Vice President Tonya Martin, Treasurer Sandra Doe and Secretary Pennie Huber.
“Thank you all for helping to make this such a successful and wonderful event,” Setren said.
Setren also announced that the Fourth Annual Jake Classic Golf Outing will be held on Saturday, June 10, 2006 at Tarry Brae Golf Course.