TRUMBULL, CT — Players at the Rotary Club of Monroe’s 29th Annual Golf Classic at Tashua Knolls Monday raised money to support victims and families of the 9/11 attacks, as well as to fund the club’s community service projects.
Golf carts, packed with sets of clubs, were ready to be driven out to the greens on the cloudy morning. But before the tournament got underway, Cindy Richter, president of the Monroe Rotary Club, stood before the participants with a microphone to say a few words.
“We all know that today is 9/11,” she said. “Many of us were very closely related to what happened on this day, so at this point I would like to take a moment of silence for the people that were lost that day.”
After the moment of silence, Dave Bove, a golf pro at Tasha Knolls, told the teams the rules of the course, and they were on their way.
“We’re hopefully going to be able to get all 18 holes,” Richter said, alluding to the weather forecast, which predicted a high probability of rain by the afternoon. “The important thing is that everybody has fun. We appreciate them coming out on a day like today.”
Aside from its local projects, Richter said money will be given to the Rotary Club of Maui for its members to use as they see fit in the aftermath of damage and lost lives in the wildfires.
Bob Guere, a Monroe Rotarian, has a nephew who is a Marine helicopter pilot stationed in Syria, according to Richter. The Monroe Rotary Club will also buy flavorings for the water U.S. military personnel drink there, which Richter said tastes “atrocious”.
Among the projects the club funded over the years are a $10,000 financial grant to build the Monroe Volunteer Emergency Medical Service training room and new trail markers for Great Hollow Lake in 2022; Reality Check, a financial literacy simulation at Masuk High School in 2022 and 2023; and a grant for outdoor furniture and upgrades for the Monroe Senior Center to name a few.
The title sponsor for the Monroe Rotary Club’s golf tournament was L.A. Barnaby & Sons Inc., which offers roofing and siding, as well as new doors and windows. The business, owned by Leon Barnaby and his son, Brian, has now been the title sponsor for three years running.
“I want to give back to the town,” Leon Barnaby said of Monroe. “The town’s been very good to us. My wife and I had been here for 35 years. We raised our three children here and were very happy with the school system and all the activities our kids were involved with.”
The corporate sponsor was ABC Supply Co. Inc. Wincore Windows and Doors was the cigar sponsor and Stockman, O’Connor and Connors PLLC Trial Attorneys was the putting green sponsor.
Lunch sponsors were Sippin Energy Products and Berkowitz and Hanna LLC.
Tee sponsors: Advanced Security; Bearingstar Insurance; Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate; Dan Roper Company; DiBlasi Associates PC; Direct Diamond; Duct Diagnostics; Hans Mansson; IKO Roofing; John P. Fracassini Law Office; L.A. Barnaby & Sons; OEM Controls; Rich Ahern Insurance; Rob’s Auto LLC; The Russell Insurance Agency; Scott Insurance Agency; Shepro & Hawkins LLC; Sippin Energy Products; The Keith Butler Family; The Zalinger Family; Union Savings Bank; Velux; Vivian Hardison; Walter, Berlingo and Company; William Raveis Real Estate and Wolfepromo.
Gift bag sponsors: Keller Williams – Wayne Chmura, Merrill Lynch – Bob Guere, Vero’s Bread, Wolfepromo, Rhonda Greifinger.
