More than 130 participate in Be a HERO Golf Tournament

Posted on in News

May 13, 2015

(SWAINTON, N.J.) – Bright sunshine shone on the more than 130 golfers who participated in the 15th Annual HERO Campaign Golf Tournament at Sand Barrens Golf Club on Wednesday.

Excellent weather – a nice breeze kept away the springtime gnats – made a perfect setting at the Cape May County golf course for the HERO Campaign’s annual event, which was hosted by MediLink Homecare, Inc., and presented by Wawa.

“Give me weather like this and I’ll play golf for the HERO Campaign any time,” said golfer Steve Coates, who is part of the Philadelphia Flyers broadcast team.

The most poignant moment of the tournament came during the Tin Cup competition, after all golfers were in off the course. The Tin Cup required golfers to hit their ball into a rowboat floating in a lake approximately 50 yards away. This year the Tin Cup was renamed the Gus Tzaferos Competition, in honor of Gus Tzaferos who passed away last week; he was the brother of George Tzaferos, who with his wife Sandy operates MediLink Homecare.

When the Tin Cup competition was finished, only George Tzaferos, a 61-year-old Hammonton resident, had dropped his ball into the rowboat, thus winning the competition named after his brother.

“You can’t ask for a better ending to the day than that,” said Bill Elliott, chairman of the HERO Campaign.

At Wednesday’s tournament, Harrison Beverage was the overall winner in the team competition, with a score of 58. Team members were: Darren Matik, Todd Arsenault, Jim Gagliardi and Paul Higbee.

Second place in the team competition went to Silver Coin, with a score of 59 (George Tzaferos, Steve Coates, Gary Dornhoefer and George Rigopoulos).

Third place in the team scoring was MediLink, with a 62 (Anthony Toner, Dr. Steven Bender, Dr. Marty Carrey and Karen Clemens).

AtlanticCare won the ‘Most Honest’ category, with an 80 (Stephen Dudick, Cathy Dudick, Margaret Belfield and Monica Titus).

Mike Toner won the ‘Closest to the Pin’ scoring when he dropped his ball 1 foot, 3 inches from the hole. Jim Walz was second with 2 feet, 7 inches.

Winning the ‘Longest Drive’ competition was John Wheeler, Erik Perlowski and Nick Rosetti.

The day began with a lunch, presented by Applebee’s, and finished with a Sands Barren dinner.  An auction during the dinner was highlighted by the sale of a Tom Brady-autographed football (fully inflated), which sold for more than $600.

The 15th Annual HERO Campaign Golf Tournament begins with an announcement from Bill Elliott, chairman of the HERO Campaign. With Bill Elliott are, from left, Muriel Elliott, Sandy Tzfaros and Anne DiRenzo. Photo by John Dimaio
John Edgar, 31, of Egg Harbor Township, practices his putting prior to the start of Wednesday's HERO Campaign Golf Tournament at Sand Barrens in Swainton, Cape May County. Photo by John Dimaio
Pictured are: Val Weeks, Bill Elliott, Atlantic County Freeholder, Alex Marino, Maryanne Spiker and Joan Chabotar gather prior to the start of Wednesday's HERO Campaign Golf Tournament at Sand Barrens Golf Club in Swainton, Cape May County. Photo by John Dimaio
Chip Donovan, 31 of Egg Harbor Township, takes a swing on the Sand Barrens driving range prior to the start of Wednesday's HERO Campaign Golf Tournament. Photo by John Dimaio
The HERO Campaign Golf Tournament brought out many golfers to support the 15th Anniversary of the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers. Pictured are (left to right) John Edgar, Dan Barber, Daniel Jacoby and Chip Donovan. Photo by John Dimaio
This year the Tin Cup was renamed the Gus Tzaferos Competition, in honor of Gus Tzaferos. Photo by John Dimaio
From left, Denise Hladun, Jane French, Muriel Elliott and Bill Elliott in the Sand Barrens clubhouse before the start of today's HERO Campaign Golf Tournament in Swainton, Cape May County. Jane French is the HERO Campaign's Volunteer of the Year.

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