Land Conservancy of New Jersey Golf Outing A success!

A Perfect Day for Golf: Gray Cup a Great Success for The Land Conservancy of New Jersey

“It’s a perfect day for golf,” was the resounding cry as golfers registered for The Land Conservancy of New Jersey’s 6th Annual Gray Cup Invitational Golf Classic. The sky was a crystal blue, the clouds wispy, and the air crisp on the morning of Monday, September 15, 2014 at the acclaimed Ballyowen Golf Club in Hamburg, New Jersey. Dozens of golfers came out to enjoy an amazing round of golf and a gourmet dinner in support of preserving and protecting New Jersey’s critical land and vital water resources.

The Gray Cup is named in honor of dedicated conservationist C. Graydon Rogers, a former Land Conservancy Chairman of the Board of Trustees and founder of the investment firm W.P. Stewart & Co., Inc. The Gray Cup is The Land Conservancy’s largest fundraising event, all of the proceeds raised support their work preserving New Jersey’s open space, farmland, and water resources. “We appreciate the generous support from our golfers, sponsors, and volunteers who work all year to make this event a great success,” said David Epstein, President of The Land Conservancy. This year’s sponsors included Investors Bank, McCarter & English, LLC, Round Table Services, Dixon Energy, AllianceBernstein, CSG Partners, and The Steven and Beverly Rubenstein Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Congratulations go out to Sam Partridge of Chatham, the 2014 Gray Cup winner by a match of cards. “I have been fortunate to play in the Gray Cup for several years and it is a wonderful event for a unique and worthy cause. As usual, this year’s outing was a great day of golf and camaraderie on a beautiful course at Ballyowen. I’m thrilled to be associated with the Gray Cup and proud to have my name added to the list of champions. Looking forward to next year already!” said Sam.

There was also some excitement on hole 11 as Mark Lapczynski, of Clifton, hit the first hole in one in Gray Cup history! Unfortunately, it was not the hole that featured a $33,000 cash prize provided, however an auxiliary prize of a $250 Golf Smith gift card was awarded and, of course, bragging rights. “When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things,” said Mark.

During the evening program, The Land Conservancy was honored to present The Rosalie Lavinthal Volunteer of the Year Award to Russ Arlotta and the employees of PSEG. Russ and the employees of PSEG have played an integral role in supporting the work of The Land Conservancy since 2008. Most recently, they have taken the lead in promoting and growing The Land Conservancy’s Pedal for Preservation event. Their enthusiasm for Pedal for Preservation is contagious. PSEG has been a sponsor since the event’s inception and Russ has served in a leadership role on the event Committee. In 2014, more than 50 PSEG affiliated riders participated in the event making them the largest corporate contingent. “PSEG is honored to work with and support The Land Conservancy’s conservation work. Thank you for this terrific award.” said Russ Furnari, Manager of Environmental Policy Enterprise, who accepted the award on behalf of PSEG. The Award was created in memory of Rosalie Lavinthal, The Land Conservancy’s former Development Director, who tragically passed away in 2012; the award is presented to an outstanding volunteer and/or corporate volunteer team who exemplify Rosalie’s spirit of volunteerism and giving back to the community.

Founded in 1981, The Land Conservancy of New Jersey is a member supported non-profit land trust dedicated to preserving and protecting our vital natural lands and water resources. We are working to inspire and empower individuals and communities to take action to preserve land and protect the environment in New Jersey. The Land Conservancy has preserved over 20,000 acres of land and helped towns secure $233 million in county, state, and federal grants for their land conservation projects. In 2009, The Land Conservancy of New Jersey became the first land trust in New Jersey to receive accreditation from The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, meeting the highest quality standards for protecting open space, upholding the public trust, and ensuring that our conservation efforts are permanent. Overall, The Land Conservancy of New Jersey has worked in 100 municipalities in 13 counties, benefitting millions of residents throughout the state. Our efforts are helping to create healthy, livable and sustainable communities today, and for generations to come.

For more information, to volunteer or make a donation, call (973) 541-1010, or visit our website at www.tlc-nj.org