Long Drives, Crisp Chips, and True Putts Put Smiles on Golfers’ and Caddie Scholars’ Faces at 21st Annual New Jersey Evans Scholars Golf Outing

WASHINGTON, N.J. – Battling the heat and humidity of a mid-summer’s day, over 100 golfers took to the links at Hawk Pointe Golf Club for the benefit of the Evans Scholars Foundation. Hosted annually by Tom Paluck, an Evans Scholar and Past President of the NJSGA, this event brings together Evans Scholar alumni, current scholars, directors, and friends for a day of golf and camaraderie. Aided by current Evans Scholars caddies and caddies in the Evans Scholars Foundation’s Caddie College Prep program, golfers were well-equipped to challenge the fairways and greens of Hawk Pointe, which proved challenging after a weekend of heavy rain fell in the area.

Since its inception, the New jersey Evans Scholars Golf Outing has raised over $1 million to benefit Evans Scholars. When the event began, there were no Evans Scholars from New Jersey and only one Evans Scholar in the entire Northeast. Today, there are 20 NJSGA/Evans Scholars, representing clubs from throughout the state, who attend such prestigious universities as Indiana, Miami University of Ohio, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue, and Rutgers.

Ed Brockner, Vice President of Development for the Northeast Region for the Evans Scholars Foundation, thanked everyone whose support has made the event possible for many years, especially the alumni, directors, participants, sponsors, and most importantly Tom Paluck, whose tireless efforts helped grow the event over the last two decades and without whose support the event would not be possible.

Michael McFadden, NJSGA President, spoke about the collaborative partnership that exists between the Evans Scholars Foundation and the NJSGA’s Caddie Scholarship Foundation and expressed his excitement about the ongoing efforts both organizations have undertaken in recent years to promote youth caddying, to provide transformative college scholarships to deserving and qualified caddies, and to keep the caddie in golf.

Marco Dinovelli, Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Admissions at Rutgers University, expressed his excitement and enthusiasm for the relationship that has been established between the Evans Scholars Foundation and the University, as the University prepares to welcome its second class of NJSGA/Evans Scholars to campus at the end of the summer. There will be six NJSGA/Evans Scholars attending Rutgers University this Fall. Marco Dinovelli and Courtney McNauff, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, look forward to not only welcoming many more NJSGA/Evans Scholars to Rutgers in the years to come, but to deepening the partnership that exists between all three organizations as plans to renovate a house for NJSGA/Evans Scholars on campus move forward.

Tom Paluck, who served as the dinner’s emcee, announced, with both sadness and optimism, that this year will be the last year for the New Jersey Evans Scholars Golf Outing at Hawk Pointe. He gave witness to the growth of the event and the growth of the Evans Scholars program in New Jersey over the last 21 years. Reflecting upon the history of the event, Tom remarked, “Every event has a beginning, a middle, and an end. This event grew slowly in the beginning. It encountered, but overcame, challenges in the middle. Today, it has reached its end, but its ending signals the beginning of a more successful event that will continue to bring Evans alumni, current scholars, and friends together and continue to inspire young men and women and transform lives.”

For his tireless efforts in organizing this annual event and his support of youth caddies and providing caddies with college scholarships, the Evans Scholars Foundation presented Tom with a framed caddie bib, bearing both the logos of the Evans Scholars Foundation and the NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation.

Thank you, Tom, for 21 great years at Hawk Pointe, and for all you have done, and continue to do, to support youth caddies and many thanks to all the day’s participants and sponsors.

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