CAPE MAY – More than 150 golfers descended on the Cape May National Golf Club in Erma Oct. 4 as the Atlantic Cape Community College Foundation’s annual Scramble ‘FORE’ Scholarships Golf Tournament celebrated its 20th anniversary by raising a record $75,000 for student scholarships.
The amount raised this year topped last year’s then-record $71,500.
Atlantic Cape’s involvement with Cape May National Golf Club began in the early 2000s when Charles Pessagno, a key figure in the founding of the tournament who was then a member of the foundation’s
board of trustees, and the late James Cooper, a former foundation president, approached Bob Mullock, president and co-designer of the club, about getting involved with an annual golf tournament in Cape May.
“Bob said that he would love to be part of it,” Pessagno said. “So, he not only donated the course to the foundation to help raise money for scholarships, he became a member on the foundation’s board.”
Prior to the 11:30 a.m. shotgun start, participants took to the driving range to stretch and prepare for the day. At the beginning of the event, golfers put their putting and chipping skills to the test. Mike Dolan won the putting contest and Ann Herron won the chipping event. During play on the course, there were sleeves of golf balls for the five teams landing closest to the pin and a free round of golf at select area courses for the top six overall teams.
At the dinner and awards ceremony afterward Mullock was recognized by the foundation with a commemorative plaque in appreciation to him and his family for their 20 years of support of the tournament.
Mullock reminisced on the positive effects that the tournament has had on the students of Atlantic and
Cape May counties over the past 20 years.
“You could see how important it was to the students, especially here in Cape May County, where there
were so many kids and parents who didn’t have a lot of money to attend college,” he said.
“And how important college was for parents that were either by themselves, working another job or didn’t have the job they really wanted to be in. You recognize that scholarships are really important, so that’s what we focused on during these tournaments.”
Pessagno was also recognized by the foundation’s board for his work in establishing the tournament.
The inaugural tournament, held in November 2004, raised $12,000 for student scholarships. Since then it has raised more than $800,000.
The 2024 scholarship recipients include Hollie Aponte, Megan Bechtler, Angela Dominguez-Henao,
Rachel Duffy, Barrett Farschon, Alesandra Fernandez, Julie Helverson, Amber Howatt, Megan Jackson, Kanefe Johnson, Fausta Kawesi, Drahcir Knight, Allison Knoll, Taylor Lerario, Corine McDowell, Mishael McFarlane, Mason Michot, Haley Milano, Hillary Raymond, Renata Riesenberg, Leonor Rodriguez, Kylee Rothmel, Nastassia Shypionak, Catherine Versoza and Attuiyah Williams.
