Fore Cheers for our 4th Annual  Event!

MCC awarded “honors” to a fabulous foursome of

fathers who help make our annual Golf Classic a Hole-in-One.

Hit the “links” to read about our Founding “Fore”

Fathers:

Mark Michaels, Marcos Lopez, Eric Hoffman and Al Pizzica

Thanks so much to everyone that made this possible especially our corporate sponsors

Tournament Sponsor

Lunch Sponsor

Golf Cart Sponsor

Our dynamic team of sponsors and golfers

help strengthen families…one “birdie” at a time!

Mark Michaels

One of Mark Michaels’ lifetime goals is to raise one million dollars for charitable causes. In 2006, MCC became the beneficiary of Mark’s altruism when he was looking to team up with a non-profit for a golf outing he was organizing. As a new father, he wanted to help give other children a healthy start in life. Mark’s cold call was a warm welcome to MCC’s family.

As founder of Celebrating Fathers, Mark introduced MCC to his family, friends and co-workers, and turned his vision into an above par event. Combining fundraising with fun-raising, the annual event focuses on the important role fathers play in nurturing their children. Now in its fourth year, the Golf Classic tees off a new tradition - honoring a foursome of fathers who are champions in their families and communities.

Mark is a team player at work and home. He and his wife Beth are loving and dedicated parents who share the joys and responsibilities of raising three young children.  Mark’s job as a father and manager for Lockheed Martin keeps him busy traveling between his children’s activities and business trips, but he still manages to find time to help those in need.  

“I feel so fortunate to be a father and have such a wonderful family and a rewarding career. So I want to pay it forward.” And if Mark manages to also find time to play some golf, it’s a bonus. Thanks to MCC Golf Classic’s “founding father,” we help strengthen families, one “birdie” at a time.

Marcos Lopez

Marcos Lopez joined MCC’s Board of Directors in 2005 and quickly became involved with the development of Celebrating Fathers, going on to serve twice as the Golf Committee Co-Chair.  He has always been drawn to organizations which provide services to families, and his four years on the board have shown him the critical and supportive role MCC plays in the lives of clients.  As the President and CEO of eXude Benefits Group, Marcos’ deep commitment to giving back to the community also shines through in the work of own company, which places a priority on supporting local initiatives.

Marcos’ passion for work with families derives from the intense joy he gets from being a father to his three children: Ian, Elianna, and Savannah.  “I would say that the greatest privilege I have is that of being a dad.  I am impressed with the compassion my kids show for each other and the community around them.  It grounds me and reminds me of the basics we all should focus on – being happy, enjoying and respecting the world and most importantly – playing.” Following his kids’ example to play more in life, Marcos takes on the game of golf to embrace its challenges.  Despite the fact that he feels like his game hasn’t improved much over the ten years he’s been playing, Marcos keeps playing in Celebrating Fathers because “it’s for a bigger and more important reason…it’s for Maternity Care Coalition.”

Eric Hoffman

As the husband of longtime MCC Executive Director JoAnne Fischer, Eric Hoffman understands and appreciates the organization’s work and mission.  With this unique insight, he was moved to help establish the Celebrating Fathers Golf Classic in 2006 and has continued to contribute to this fathers’ initiative as a committee member and golfer for the past four years. 

Eric wears many hats in his professional life – therapist, professor, personal growth workshop conductor – but his most important role is being a dad to Sage and Cory, ages 29 and 26.  Having been a father for half his life now, Eric is very conscious of the lessons imparted to him by his children.  “One of the things I learned early on was that I would always see the world in part from the eyes of my children, including the dangers, the challenges and the possibilities.  My life is richer for seeing so much more.”

Golf appeals to Eric not only for its external and internal challenges, but also for its connection to nature and its endless variety.  He enjoys MCC’s Golf Classic in particular, noting that “the staff makes everyone welcome and creates a memorable event, from the moment people arrive until the last prize is awarded.”

Al Pizzica

Al Pizzica’s life has been focused on the well-being of children since the 1970’s when he completed his pediatric residency and his neonatology fellowship in Philadelphia.  As a former MCC board member and an active member of many local advisory groups addressing maternal and child health concerns, he has responded to the needs of at-risk moms and babies for over 30 years.

With six children of his own, Al has brought his strong commitment to   children into his own home.  “They’re all great, but they cost me a lot of money!”  With a sense of humor, he recognizes that parenting is a life-long commitment and difficult even when families have resources and support.

Al enjoys golf because it’s all about individual achievement – there are no teammates to blame.  He has supported MCC’s Celebrating Fathers Golf Classic since it began in 2006 by serving as a committee member.  It’s important to him to support MCC because he believes that the mission has always been consistent with his professional goals as a maternal and infant advocate.

To view the Scotland Run Golf Course go to www.scotlandrun.com

Click here for 2008 Golf Classic Highlights

Click here for 2007 Golf Classic Highlights

Click here for 2006 Golf Classic Highlights