Plum's boys and girls golf teams organize outing to benefit Rustic Ridge victims
Plum Senior High School’s girls and boys golf teams are uniting to raise funds for the victims of the house explosion in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood.
The Rustic Ridge “Plum Strong” Plum Boys & Girls Golf Teams Charity Outing is scheduled for Sept. 17 at Willowbrook Country Club in Allegheny Township.
Willowbrook is donating the 18-hole course for the daylong event.
Dinner at Willowbrook will follow the outing, which sold out almost as soon as it was announced. Sponsorships still are being accepted.
Co-organizers Keith Nonnenberg, Plum’s JV boys golf coach, and Brian Dunaway, the boys varsity coach and a golf professional at Willowbrook, said the level of support from the community, even among nongolfers has exceeded anything they expected.
“I thought maybe we would raise $3,000 to $5,000, but we may raise more than $50,000,” Dunaway said.
The tournament will include 72 teams and accommodate a total of 288 golfers, with two shotgun start times of 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
After the devastating and deadly house explosion along Rustic Ridge Drive that killed six Plum residents, Dunaway suggested a golf outing to Nonnenberg.
“I said, ‘Let’s give some money back to the community,’ and suggested a co-ed golf teams event. The response has been overwhelming. I was in front of my computer for two days. I have people that don’t even golf reaching out,” Dunaway said.
Willowbrook Country Club donated $15,000 in sponsorship money.
All proceeds will benefit victims of the house explosion.
“I knew they (Willowbrook) would give something back, and it was awesome and great to see they’re willing to give up their course for the entire day for the tournament,” Dunaway said.
Click here for complete coverage of the Plum explosion
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A group of about 50 volunteers, including more than 30 Plum golf team members, will pitch in to handle tournament operations.
The tournament is sold out, but sponsorships are being accepted until Sept. 9.
Hole sponsorships are $50 each, and organizers said, because of the overwhelming response, multiple sponsorships per hole will be allowed.
A 50-50 and gift basket raffle will be offered.
A golf/dinner ticket is available for $100.
Jody Dojonovic, founder the nonprofit Thomas Jack Dojonovic’s Project Spread Positivity, is donating her time and event supplies to the outing.
Dojonovic canceled her annual fundraising event scheduled for a week before the golf outing to provide additional help, sponsorship and support to the golf teams.
She started Spread Positivity after her son, Thomas Jack, committed suicide, and she advocates for mental health education in public K-12 schools.
“My son was an extremely positive person, so I started the foundation to spread positivity. We incorporated a mental health aspect to the foundation. I fundraise and use my funds to do various things. My whole team will be there to do whatever is needed that day,” Dojonovic said.
Spread Positivity is donating more than 25 raffle baskets, a foursome golf at Meadowink Golf Course in Murrysville, several NFL signed jerseys, a new grill and grilling accessories and golf swag bags.
Three individuals already have donated $1,000 each to sponsor a hole, Dunaway said.
Nonnenberg said the robust response to the outing demonstrates the Plum Strong mantra.
Corporate donations include items from Dick’s Sporting Goods and Callaway Golf.
“It’s going to be full. I haven’t been able to set my phone down,” Nonnenberg said. “We have 20 teams on the waitlist. Right now, (adding another day is) not a possibility, and we have more than 60 sponsors so far. We will likely add an online auction for large items, and I’m delighted in the face of such tragedy of the outpouring. When something like this happens in a community, everyone comes together. It brings our community together, and I think that’s why people love Plum so much,” Nonnenberg said.
To register a sponsorship email non216@verizon.net, Bdunaway7@yahoo.com or Venmo @keithnonny.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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