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VLAC is Big Winner of Alumni Golf Tournament

October 25, 2011

Alumni Golf Tournament
Alumni Golf Tournament
Alumni Golf Tournament
Alumni Golf Tournament
Alumni Golf Tournament
Alumni Golf Tournament
Alumni Golf Tournament
Alumni Golf Tournament
Alumni Golf Tournament
Alumni Golf Tournament

The 16th Annual Thomas Jefferson School of Law Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament fielded winners in several categories on Friday, Oct. 21, but the biggest winner of all is the TJSL Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic (VLAC).  While the net total of proceeds from the 2011 tournament hasn’t been finalized, it’s predicted the figure will top the proceeds from previous years.  The proceeds fund scholarships for TJSL students who provide pro bono legal services for struggling San Diego veterans through the VLAC, a collaborative effort with Veterans Village of San Diego.

At the awards dinner, TJSL Professor and VLAC Director Steve Berenson expressed appreciation to the golfers present. “The proceeds from this tournament support the best and brightest of our students who demonstrate dedication and professionalism through our veterans clinic,” he said.

Master of Ceremonies John Agle ’94 asked the veterans in the dinner audience to stand and be recognized.  They included Phil Shapiro ’85, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and as a Special Agent in the U.S. Secret Service; Neil Black, a U.S. Air Force Lieutenant who was one of the longest serving enlisted POWs in North Vietnam from September 20, 1965 until his release on February 12, 1973; David Brahms, a retired U.S. Marine Corps Brigadier General and JAG Director; and TJSL Dean Rudy Hasl, who was a Captain in the U.S. Army’s Quartermaster Corps.

This year’s tournament at Riverwalk Golf Club in Mission Valley attracted 96 golfers, from TJSL alumni to current students to professors and friends.  The competition included a putting contest, which produced a six-way tie, as well as prizes for Closest to the Pin and Long Drive (men’s and women’s categories), First Place and Second Place teams for Low Gross and First Place team for Low Net.

Long Drive:  Chris Wood  (Men’s) and Lacy Lodes ’08 (Women’s)

Closest to Pin:  Brendan Diette (Men’s) and Cindy Greenwald (Women’s)

First Place Low Gross:  52, Ben Cramer ‘08, Rob Bello ‘09, Evan Pennant-Jones, Joe Ryon

Second Place Low Gross:  58, David Beavans ‘08, Brenden Diette, Jim Gleave ‘81, Reena Patel ‘08

First Place Low Net:  64.6, Randy Grossman ‘94, Michael Hamilton, Aaron Hicks ‘04, Scott Rollins

The annual TJSL golf tournament wouldn’t be as successful without the generous support of its many sponsors, including:  Gold Sponsor, Law Offices of Brahms & Borg; Silver Sponsors, Epsten Grinnell & Howell, Golf Buds, Sanzo Law and Stilwell & Associates, Inc.; Putting Contest Sponsor, Burgess Law; Closest to the Pin Sponsors, Hughes Marino and First American Due Diligence; Longest Drive Sponsors, First American NCS-San Diego/Ontario and First American NCS-Orange County; Hole Sponsors, Law Offices of Aaron T. Hicks, Thorsnes Litigation Services,Thorsnes Bartolotta McGuire, Stratton & Green ALC, Law Office of Reena J. Patel, Cushman & Wakefield, Atkinson-Baker Court Reporters, Walsh Chacon, Holliday Fenoglio Fowler LP, First American Title Company, First American NCS-Los Angeles, First American NCS-SoCal Sales and Pierce Education Properties LP; drink tickets, Law Offices of Brahms & Borg; cocktail reception, Dependency Legal Group of San Diego; Hole in One, First American NCS-Energy Group; and water, Law Office of Eric P. Ganci.

Also helping to boost the net proceeds of the tournament was an abundance of donated raffle prizes from individuals and businesses that included various Taylor Made golf clubs; Dixon Golf “Earth” balls and an Amateur Endorsement on the Dixon website; restaurant gift certificates to Donovans, Kensington Grill, Cucina Urbana and The Corner; Bradford Renaissance Portraits and Rowley Portraiture packages; an iPad2; Disneyland tickets; gift baskets from San Diego Restaurant Supply and Viejas; a 2002 bottle of Dom Perignon; a one-year membership to FIT Athletics; a Salon Identitiy gift certificate; and an autographed Padres (Chris Denorfia) ball and hat.

In addition to John Agle, this year’s tournament committee members, who deserve a big round of applause for their efforts, were Rene Galente ’08 (Chair), Sabrina Green ’02, Genail Anderson ’04, Ben Cramer ’08, Eric Ganci ’08 and Andria Eguia ’09.  Agle also thanked the TJSL Alumni Relations & Development Office and the Communications Office for assisting with the tournament.