Feasterville Business Association’s annual Charity Golf Outing raised $14,500 for 13 Bucks County nonprofits
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
Twenty-seven years ago, the Feasterville Business Association began teeing off for a good cause. This was the organization’s very first FBA Charity Golf Outing, an event with a threefold purpose. Local business leaders could network with their fellow owners, enjoy some picturesque scenery and most importantly, raise money for deserving charities and nonprofits.
Ever since, this has become a favorite annual FBA tradition with proceeds awarded each year as grants to local community and service organizations. Since its creation, the event has raised more than $265,000. The latest golf outing was held on Monday, July 24, 2017, at the Old York Road Country Club, 801 Tennis Ave. in Ambler.
Recently, the FBA Charity Golf Outing Committee selected 13 Bucks County nonprofits to receive a total of $14,500 to assist with their respective endeavors. The grants were presented on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at the beginning of a Lower Southampton Township Board of Supervisors meeting by Rick Tyrrell, president of the Feasterville Business Association, and Ed Shannon, chairman of the 2017 FBA Charity Golf Outing.
Throughout its 69-year existence, the FBA’s mission has remained short and sweet — “to foster and encourage growth and progress for the betterment of the community.” Naturally, this came into play when deciding which organizations should be awarded a grant. Each nonprofit chosen exemplifies its mission by helping locals in unique ways.
This year’s recipients included A Woman’s Place, Bucks County’s only domestic violence organization; Network of Victim Assistance, a nonprofit that empowers victims of sexual assault and other crimes; the Sunshine Foundation, which helps grant the wishes of chronically ill and physically challenged children; the American Red Cross; and Libertae, a drug addiction treatment center in Bensalem.
Grants were also awarded to The Friends of the Lower Southampton Library; Debbie’s Friends; the Neshaminy Activities Center; Sean/Me, which provides recreational and social activities for children with autism; the Lower Southampton Athletic Association; Special Equestrians, which harnesses the healing power of horses to improve the well-being of individuals with disabilities; the Playwicki Farm Foundation; and the Council of SEPA on Alcohol and Drug Dependence.
In addition to these community grants, it was announced proceeds from the golf outing will help fund college scholarships for area high school students, holiday gift baskets for families in need and the annual Easter egg hunt, another longtime FBA tradition.
Usually held at Russell Elliot Memorial Park, 150 Buck Road in Feasterville, local children and their families are invited to hunt for candy, win prizes and meet the Easter bunny. Thanks to the money raised at the golf outing, the event remains free of charge.
To celebrate being chosen as grant recipients, a number of representatives from the 13 nonprofits were present at the Board of Supervisors meeting. In attendance were Linda Peters, secretary/treasurer of the Friends of the Lower Southampton Library; William F. Wiegman Jr., president of the Council of SEPA on Alcohol and Drug Dependence; Rose McMenamin, vice president of the Playwicki Farm Foundation; Kate Sample, president of the Sunshine Foundation; Kathleen Curtin, associate director of Libertae; and Linda Pupkiewicz, chairwoman of the FBA Easter Egg Hunt.
Also accepting awards on behalf of their organizations were Peter Brown, executive director of the Lehigh Valley-Bucks County Chapter of the American Red Cross; Marge Biemuller, a volunteer at the Neshaminy Activity Center; Karen Madotto, immediate past president of the FBA, accepting the grant for holiday gift baskets and scholarships; Dean Bryson, director of soccer for the Lower Southampton Athletic Association; Mandy Mundy, senior director of programs and services for the Network of Victim Assistance; Mary-Jo May, development director for Special Equestrians; and Dan Maggiani, prime sponsor of the golf outing.
For more information on the Feasterville Business Association, visit feasterville.biz or email FeastervilleBA@gmail.com. ••
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
