The PIANJ and Special Olympics New Jersey 41st annual Golf Classic was held Sept. 23, 2024, at Maplewood Golf Course in Maplewood, N.J. [PHOTO CAPTION FOR PHOTO TO THE RIGHT: (L-R) Former PIANJ Director Jocelyn Rineer, CIC, CLP, CIIP; PIANJ Director and Golf Co-Chair Casey Yarger, CIC, CRM; PIANJ Immediate Past President Connie Mahoney; PIANJ Director and Golf Co-Chair Walter Conroy; PIANJ President Andrew Harris, CIC, AAI, CISR; SONJ Athlete Tom Azilides; PIANJ Vice President Aaron Levine, CIC. Photo credit: Special Olympics New Jersey]
Supporting thousands of Special Olympic athletes in New Jersey, PIANJ Golf—in partnership with the PIANJ Women’s Leadership Alliance for this event—proudly presented SONJ with a donation check of over $66,470—bringing the total raised to more than $5 million since starting our collaboration four decades ago.
Over 90 golfers got to participate in contests to help SONJ. They were able to meet and greet with Special Olympics USA Games Athletes, which included Tom Azilides and Amber Concepcion.
See SONJ’s photos from the event here.
See PIA’s photos from the event here.
Congratulations winners
Winners at this year’s golf outing included:
First place: Charlie Tice, Bradley Roberts, Bobby Koar and William Walbroel
Second place: Walter Conroy, Andrew Harris, Casey Yarger and Aaron Levine
Third place: Michael DeStasio, Donald LaPenna, John Nochta and Chris Fersini
Longest Drive: Kristen Pantaleo and Aaron Levine
Closest to the Pin: David Messinger
Sponsors
It is the generous financial support of our sponsors—many of whom have been supporters of this event year after year—that help make the PIANJ Golf Classic a success. We would like to thank you all.
Finally, a special thank you to the golfers and volunteers who help make this event a success!
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Reception sponsor:
Par sponsor:
Utica National Insurance Group
Event sponsors:
| Farmers of Flemington | Golf towels |
| Jencap | Golf balls |
| Iroquois Group | Longest drive–Men |
| Preferred Mutual Insurance | Longest drive–Women |
| LG Insurance | Ball toss |
| Farmers of Salem | Putting green contest |
| NJM | Donation |
| Liberty Mutual Insurance | Safeco ShoreOne Insurance | Hole sponsor |
| Barclay and Braddock Insurance Agency Cumberland Mutual Katz Government Affairs LLC Muller Insurance Otterstedt Insurance Agency Selective Insurance The Service Insurance Co. | Individual Tee |
Matt McDonough is PIA Northeast's writer, editor and content curator. Matt joined PIA Northeast in September 2023. Before that, he had been an editor for the online entertainment magazine Collider from 2021-23 as a copy editor for its lists section. Matt entered the world of journalism at his alma mater, SUNY New Paltz, writing and reporting for the college's student run newspaper, The New Paltz Oracle. He graduated from SUNY New Paltz with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in Creative Writing in 2020.
