Tournament Delivers
HCC's annual golf benefit raises $50K for scholarships
The 34th annual HCC Foundation Golf Classic raised nearly $50,000 for student scholarships at Holyoke Community College.
The HCC Foundation welcomed 90 golfers to Springfield Country Club on Sept. 13 for its annual fundraising tournament, which resumed this fall after the 2020 event was cancelled due to COVID-19. The 2021 event raised $49,536, $10,000 more than the last one in 2019, thanks in large part to a contribution of $25,000 from its first-ever presenting sponsor, Epstein Financial Services.
"The return of the HCC Foundation golf tournament will definitely be one of the highlights of 2021," said Amanda Sbriscia, HCC vice president of Institutional Advancement and executive director of the HCC Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising arm of HCC. "We had a picture-perfect day at a gorgeous golf course, where we were able to gather in support of HCC students. Connecting in person with our alumni, local business leaders and friends was such a joy, and we are truly grateful for our community's generosity."
This year's tournament also recognized the 75th anniversary of Holyoke Community College, the state's oldest two-year college, which was founded in 1946.
Over the past 34 years, the annual HCC Foundation Golf Classic has raised nearly $600,000 for HCC scholarships, students support programs, and classroom technology.
At a special dinner foilowing the golf tournament, HCC student Angel Vargas spoke about being among the first recipients of the HCC Foundation's Bienvenidos Latinx Scholarship, which was first awarded for the fall 2021 semester. "As a student coing from another country, I was at a huge disadvantage when it came to finances for higher education," said Vargas, a computer science major who is originally from the Dominican Republic and now lives in Springfield. "When I was considering college, I felt lost because I didn't know anything about the education system here in the U.S."
"I was really lucky to have found a place like Holyoke Community College," he said. "Here at HCC, I have been awarded scholarships, and I have been part of student programs that have not only helped me stay in school but have inspired me towork even harder."
PHOTO by MICHAEL GORDON: A golfer lofts a pitch onto the green at the 34th annual HCC Foundation Golf Classic Sept. 13 at Springfield Country Club.
