2009 Golf Summary
2009 AAOA Fore You Golf Tournament Report
New Orleans
  
The Advocates send a huge thank you to all the 2009 sponsors! Click here for a complete list of sponsors.
Click here to see pictures from the 2009 Tournament
The Advocates for the AOA welcomed 40 golfers for the annual AAOA Fore You Golf Tournament held Sunday, November 1, 2009, at the Audubon Park Golf Course in the Garden District of New Orleans. Participants boarding the bus at the Hilton hotel were greeted by AAOA Board member Gloria Krejsa, Texas’ ATOMA past president Wendy McDonald and Texas’ SAA representatives Heidi Cook, Carolyn Jackson, Rosanne Medlin and Amanda Palmer. AAOA appreciates the generosity of these golfers who cheerfully purchased additional tournament necessities (such as mulligans) from this ambitious welcoming krewe.
The noontime events started with a spicy kick with refreshments served by volunteer Jim Froelich, D.O., upon guests disembarking at the Audubon Park. Poorboy sandwiches, Zapp’s chips and Aunt Sally’s Praline’s provided a hearty lunch before the games began. Thanks also go to AAOA Treasurer Nancy Granowicz, AAOA Board member Gloria Kresja, as well as volunteers from Michigan for coming to assist with golfer registration and lunch.
AAOA Fore YOU featured a four-person scramble with added competition for closest to the pin and long drives for both men and women. The First Place AAOA Fore YOU foursome was that comprised of Joseph M. Rybicki, D.O. and Ann Rybicki of Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, Michael J. Grafe, D.O., and Donald J. Willis, D.O., of Roswell, New Mexico, with a tournament score of 39. The AAOA Fore YOU Second Place foursome, with a tournament score of 43, was John Amato, of Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, William Pettit, D.O., and Marnie Pettit of Oklahoma, and Grant Comnick, D.O., of North Ridgeville, Ohio. The AAOA Fore YOU foursome of John W. Becher, D.O., of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, Peter Doulis, of Vineland, New Jersey, Richard A. Pascucci, D.O. of Malvern, Pennsylvania, and Robert J. Schilz, D.O., Ph.D., of Shaker Heights, Ohio, took tournament Third Place honors with a team tournament score of 46.
Individual awards for AAOA Fore You for “Longest Drive” go to Karen Johnson and Bob McPhee, D.O. The “Closest to the Pin” trophies go to Suzie Shettle and K. Johnson.
New to the AAOA Fore YOU tournament was the Advocates Collegiate Challenge Cup, an idea developed by John Amato, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations for Des Moines University, and former AOA-AAOA liaison Max McKinney, D.O. Four-person teams were invited to compete for scholarship funds to be paid directly to their osteopathic colleges. From entry fees of $2000 per team, one half ($1000) per team went directly into the “pot” for awards. The First Place Collegiate team would receive 50% of that pot – the amount of which would be determined by how many teams participated. Second place would earn 30% and third place 20% for their schools. More teams would mean a larger pool from which scholarship funds would be distributed. Teams could be from anywhere, but would select one College of Osteopathic Medicine to benefit from any 1st, 2nd or 3rd place win.
Four teams entered the inaugural competition, creating an awards pool of $4000. For the first Advocates Collegiate Challenge Cup, the team representing Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine took first place honors, winning $2000 for DMU-COM scholarships. This is the same team coming in Second Place overall in the AAOA Fore YOU tournament, of John Amato, Grant Comnick, D.O., Bill Pettit, D.O., and Marnie Pettit. Drs. Comnick and Pettit are graduates of DMU-COM.
The scholarship fund of Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine benefitted by $2000, also, as both the second and third place Collegiate Challenge teams represented MSU-COM. The team of William Strampel, D.O., Craig Magnatta, D.O., Jennifer Magnatta and Joe Pirch, D.O., earned $1200 for MSU-COM, with a team score of 53. The “Sparties” won third place, and $800 for MSU-COM, with a team score of 55. The Sparties team of Mary Jo Voelpel, D.O., Larry Voelpel, D.O., Joe Nobel, D.O. and Jan Nobel were also acknowledged for their enthusiastic and “team themed” attire.
Fourth place Collegiate team representing Lincoln Memorial University - DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine was made up of Peggy Stowers, Patrick Craig, OMS-II, Craig Lenz, D.O. and Matt Patrick Matt, OMS-II. This team was unanimously declared the Congeniality champions, although no scholarship funds were awarded for that particular honor.
In addition to the Tee Sign sponsors, promotional recognition and appreciation is extended to New Orleans businesses who provided discounts for prizes and participants gifts: Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville New Orleans- Smugglers’ Hold, Perlis Cajun Clothing and Aunt Sally’s confectioners. The McComb County Advocates to the AOA provided handmade golf towels for all. Thank you to AAOA Board member Michael Wieting, D.O., for delivering tournament trophies and to AAOA 2008-2009 President Linda Adams for providing the Collegiate Challenge Cup trophy for Des Moines University’s team.
The committee for the 2009 AAOA Fore YOU tournament included AAOA board members Deidre Froelich, Ph.D., Chairman, Nancy Granowicz, Gloria Kresja and Michael Wieting, D.O. Plans are underway for the 2010 tournament under the experienced chairmanship of AAOA past president Linda Cole.
-Deidre Froelich, 2009 AAOA Fore You Golf Tournament Chairperson
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