BC3 Education Foundation Golf Outing Raises Record $115K

(Butler, PA) A golf outing that raises funds for the Butler County Community College Education Foundation on Aug. 6 raised the most money in its 26-year history.

The 2021 single-year record of $115,000 follows then-records of $100,000 in 2020 and of $95,000 in 2019.

The outing attracted 29 teams representing six western Pennsylvania counties and was held for the 11th consecutive year at Olde Stonewall Golf Club near Ellwood City. The event since 1996 has raised more than $1.2 million in unrestricted funds to support scholarships and opportunities beyond the classroom at BC3, which has locations in Armstrong, Butler, Jefferson, Lawrence and Mercer counties.

Farmers National Bank of Emlenton served as the golf outing’s title sponsor for the 11th year in a row. Nearly 30 other businesses or individuals sponsored the event, which drew 114 golfers.

“It was phenomenal,” said Lynn Ismail, interim assistant director of the BC3 Education Foundation and its financial manager. “We are at another record-breaking year. We appreciate the great support of Farmers with the title sponsorship. And from the golfers’ standpoint, they love the course. They love our organization. It’s a community college and they like to support the community college and its students.”

Golfers included the college’s vendors, donors, board members and community partners, as well as representatives from other institutions of higher education, said Dr. Nick Neupauer, president of BC3.

“When I make my rounds and talk to folks, it’s very interesting for me to see all the different types of connections that are represented at the golf outing,” Neupauer said. “The diversity of those teams correlates to all the different collaborations and partnerships that we have. It speaks to who we are as a community college.”

From left, John Birckbichler, Chad Tate, Ron Germani and Scott Schaefer represented the NexTier Bank team and finished in first place in the Butler County Community College Education Foundation golf outing Aug. 6 at Olde Stonewall Golf Club near Ellwood City. They are shown holding the BC3 Champions Cup after the outing, which raised a single-year record $115,000 in unrestricted funds to support scholarships and opportunities beyond the classroom at BC3.

NexTier foursome wins BC3’s Champions Cup

A foursome representing NexTier Bank finished in first place with a 17-under in the scramble format held on the par-70 course. Ron Germani, Chad Tate, John Birckbichler and Scott Schaefer received the 3-year-old BC3 Champions Cup, a 27-inch-high trophy mirroring the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup.

A foursome representing the Nonprofit Development Corp. finished in second place with a 15-under. Members of the team were Chris Lunn, Nelson Johnson, Zach Carlino and Adam Hartwig.

Closest-to-the-pin winners on par-3s were John Cowan, Stantec, on the 159-yard No. 5; Jeff Goldinger, Center for Community Resources, on the 150-yard No. 7; Mike Davidson, Maher Duessel, on the 164-yard No. 14; and Michael Hook, Enviro Testing and Solutions, on the 190-yard No. 15.

Jeff Varga, UPMC Health Plan, had the longest drive on the 427-yard No. 10 and Steve Kusnir, Hovanec, the longest putt on No. 18.

Kelly and John Giles, then-owners of Cutting Edge Solutions, Butler, donated the Champions Cup to the BC3 Education Foundation in 2019. Kelly Giles is one of 18 directors on the BC3 Education Foundation board.

BC3’s focus “always on improvement”

Kyle Hilfiger is manager of Farmers National Bank of Emlenton’s Bon Aire branch, and said BC3’s focus is always on improvement.

“You can constantly see that in everything they do,” Hilfiger said. “Everything is focused on bettering the community that BC3 is in.

“BC3 is such a great partner for who we are. We want to see growth in our communities. We want to see our children grow up, get an education and give back to the communities. The opportunity to partner with BC3 is such an important part of our mission, to be able to give back to the communities where we are, as we strive to be community banking at its best.”

BC3 students from Butler County this fall will pay $172 per credit in tuition and fees for a face-to-face class, and BC3 students from other Pennsylvania counties, $275 per credit.

Regional public four-year universities that have announced approved tuition and fees for this fall will charge Pennsylvania students between $437 and $504 per credit for a face-to-face class. Regional public-related universities will charge Pennsylvania students between $572 and $1,170 per credit in tuition and fees this fall for a face-to-face class.

“A lot of kids who deserve to be in college get priced out because education is just expensive,” said Jim Crockard, whose LOLA Energy team from Canonsburg competed in the BC3 Education Foundation golf outing for the first time. “It’s unfortunate.

“Making education affordable at all levels is something that I support,” said Crockard, LOLA Energy’s chief executive officer. “And if you can help students make their way through an affordable college, that is even better.”

“BC3 saved me thousands of dollars”

Hook, a member of the Enviro Testing and Solutions team, attended BC3, then transferred to Penn State University, where he earned two bachelor’s degrees, one in project and supply chain management, and the other in management information systems.

“BC3 saved me thousands of dollars for the same education,” said Hook, an information technology manager with Viking Plastics, Corry. “BC3 gives people the opportunity to learn and to figure out what they want to do with themselves before they go wasting a bunch of money.”

Sam Kearns, a co-owner of Enviro Testing and Solutions, said BC3 is a good choice for many students who don’t want to attend a large university or who don’t want to leave their family.

“Or if they don’t want to spend a lot of money,” Kearns said. “BC3 is a nice, small school where you can get a good education without spending an arm and a leg. There’s really no local college like BC3 around here.”