PURSUiNG MEdicAl cAREERS AFtER SERviNG thEiR cOUNtRy

Nearly 100 golfers participated in the second annualWestern University of Health Sciences Towne & GownGolf Classic, helping raise more than $28,000 tobenefit the University Scholarship Fund thanks to thegenerosity of sponsor T. F. Chen, DDS, whounderwrote the entire golf fundraiser.The scramble-format tournament was held onMonday, June 18, 2012 at the Glendora Country Club.“Our students usually come out of school with acouple hundred thousand dollars’ worth of debt,” saidWesternU Senior Vice President Thomas G. Fox, PhD,during the reception dinner. “Every dime we can getfor a scholarship is important.”Dr. Fox was impressed with the growth of this year’stournament from its inaugural tournament in 2011.Dr. Chen, who helped revive the event in 2011, saidhe would be sponsoring the event for another eightyears, totaling 10 years of underwriting the golfclassic. He thanked everyone for coming to thefundraiser and said he looks forward to doing betterevery year.New to this year’s tourney was the golf ball drop,where a helicopter dropped 165 numbered golf balls ata designated flag on the driving range from about 80feet up.About $1,300 worth of golf balls were sold. Dr. Fox,who bought balls numbered 10-19, won the 50-50raffle with ball No. 13. He immediately donated hisportion back to the scholarship fund.“It sends a message that this outing is aboutscholarships,” he said.Like last year, golfers purchased five feet of string,mulligans, and free tosses that gave them specialadvantages to improve scores, all helping raise moneyfor student scholarships.Symes Cadillac of Pasadena also sponsored the holein-onecompetition for a chance to win a 2012Cadillac. No one won the Cadillac SRX that was ondisplay at the putting green.Following a dinner reception, golfers were awardedtrophies for closest to the pin and longest drive formen and women; reverse Stableford scoring for thefour teams that scored the highest gross scores; andfour winning teams that had the lowest gross scores.Dr. Pumerantz and WesternU Board of Trusteesmember John T. McGwire, DDS, drove a beverage cartaround the golf course, meeting and talking witheveryone for a second year.This year, Dr. McGwire took home the ‘longest drive’trophy for literally being the one who had the longestdrive by driving around the course four times.Dr. Fox said Susan Terrazas, director of annual givingand her associates Austin Braunwalder and JenetteMuhar did a great job with the event. – Jeff Malet50 Western University of Health Sciences