By Rob Potter
FALLSBURG — By all accounts, the Mel Mednick Memorial Golf Outing was a success.
The tournament honoring the man who was a beloved coach, teacher and Board of Education member in the Fallsburg Central School District was held on Sunday, Aug. 23 at Lochmor Golf Course in South Fallsburg.
Because there were so many golfers – 102 to be exact – they played in sixsomes rather than threesomes or foursomes.
The winning sixsome in the Championship Flight consisted of Bill Jakatis, Jeremy Levner, Mike Novogrodsky, Wayne Pirnos, Ira Steingart and Nathan Steingart. They shot a combined 15-under-par on the 18-hole course.
The winning sixsome in the Mulligan Flight consisted of Brian Benszenberg, John Evans, Mark Fedun, Ivan Katz, Tony Massur and Aaron Salovin. They shot a combined 13-under-par.
Jeff O’Neill had the men’s longest drive on hole No. 12. Bob Radivoy won the closest to the pin award on hole No. 13. Cassie Orlan had the women’s longest drive on hole No. 12.
Mike Weiner, who was one of the Co-Organizers of the tournament, said that between the entry fees paid by the golfers and donations from many businesses and individuals in the community, nearly $20,000 was raised for the Mel Mednick Memorial Scholarship Fund.
“That means we will be able to give a perpetual scholarship of $500 in Mel’s name to a graduating senior every year for as long as there is a Fallsburg High School,” Weiner said.
Weiner noted that Mednick liked to say “we are family” when he spoke about the Fallsburg Central School and the Fallsburg community.
“With the outpouring of support from the school, businesses and people in the community, I can say that we are truly a family,” Weiner said. “Most of the Town of Fallsburg was there at the tournament to help in one form or another.”
Weiner noted that the tournament was special because several members of Mel Mednick’s family were in attendance. Those family members included his brother Barry Mednick, son Michael Mednick and his wife Shari, son Daniel Mednick, son Bruce Ivory and grandchildren.
“I give a lot of credit for the event’s success to the other two Co-Organizers, Steve Janove and Joe Levner,” Weiner said. “They have been working on this tournament since May. Steve, Jeremy and I thank all of the members of the Mednick family, all of the golfers, Lochmor Golf Pro Glenn Sonnenschein, Lochmor Assistant Golf Pro Mike Decker and all of the volunteers who helped.”
There were about 15 adults and children who volunteered at the tournament, including some of Mel Mednick’s grandchildren.