Swing Clinic Offers the Right Rx

FUNDRAISING EVENTS // BY TERRY TROY

Philip Amos (member of the LCCCF board of directors) hits his golf ball out of a trap.

The 32nd annual LCCC Jack Nicklaus golf outing raises more than $125,000.

Left to Right: The winning team — Ryan and Kaitlin Flanigan, Greg Trenchard and Dan Gunderth (not pictured) It’s an annual event that provides a ton of fun while helping a lot of deserving students. The 32nd annual Jack Nicklaus Scholarship Golf Benefit held earlier this summer at the Elyria Country Club raised more than $125,000, with 136 golfers taking to the links. All proceeds from the event went directly to the Jack Nicklaus Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarship support to Lorain County Community College (LCCC) and LCCC University Partnership students.

“This year marked the 32nd annual Jack Nicklaus Scholarship Golf Benefit. Since its founding, the Jack Nicklaus Scholarship Fund has provided more than 1,000 LCCC and University Partnership students with scholarships,” says Lisa Brown, director of the LCCC Foundation (LCCCF). “This level of support is especially impactful, as we know that more than 70% of LCCC students need some form of financial assistance in order to attend college. We are incredibly grateful for the longstanding support of the community and dedicated golf committee, guests and volunteers that make this event such a tremendous success.”

“At Lorain County Community College, we believe that every student’s dream

matters,” adds Marcia J. Ballinger, Ph.D., president of LCCC. “Generous scholarship support from the LCCC Foundation, including the Jack Nicklaus Scholarship, helps students overcome barriers and reach their goals.”

The presenting sponsor for this year’s event was the Tyrell Family Foundation.

“From a timing standpoint, we were in an excellent position to go ahead and fund the event,” says Tom Tyrrell, who heads the Tyrell Family Foundation with his wife, Dianne. “We believe very much in what LCCC has done and the fact that they are one of the premier community colleges in the nation. But we are also really impressed with how they work with the country to help build programs that allow students to get a degree in a shorter amount of time and with less money.

Co-chairs for this year’s event included: Kent Hageman, senior vice president at Morgan Stanley; Don Knechtges, president of Business Visions Inc.; and Todd Sommer, owner of Sommer’s Mobile Leasing.

“While the scholarship relief for the students is the most important aspect of this outing, it is really just an awesome event — especially having Jimmy Hanlin affiliated with the event,” says Hageman.

“Jimmy brought three of his co-hosts, who hit shots for each of the foursomes,” adds Knechtges. “If anyone hit inside of their shot, they received a prize. They really are great golf personalities and great golfers.”

In addition to various television channels featuring golf programming, Jimmy Hanlin’s Swing Clinic can be seen during rain delays for Cleveland Guardians games. Hanlin brought along Swing Clinic hosts Alexandra O’Laughlin, Claire Hogle and Caroline Collins.

“We also had a special recognition for Judge Cirigliano called our Founder’s Award,” says Knechtges. “He was the person, back in 1990, our first year, who contacted Jack Nicklaus and asked him to get involved.”

Outside of events sponsored directly by the Jack Nicklaus Foundation, the LCCC Jack Nicklaus Golf Outing is the only event that is allowed to carry the famous golfer’s name.

Left to Right: Don Knechtges, Ingrid Knechtges, (golf professional) Jimmy Hanlin, Dianne Tyrrell, Tom Tyrrell and Marcia J. Ballinger

Left to Right: Alexandra O’Laughlin (golf professional), the Honorable Judge Joseph E. Cirigliano (founder of the event), Claire Hogle and Caroline Collins (golf professionals and hosts of Swing Clinic)