Kaleidoscope of Hope
Golf 2008
Julian Mustardo tees off at River Vale.
  
KOH board member Maureen Phair swings at Brooklake.
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The Kaleidoscope of Hope Foundation raises thousands of dollars for ovarian cancer research through a pair of Northern New Jersey golf tournaments.

Over the years and across generations of players, golf has provided a humanitarian bridge between the world’s business community and leading philanthropies. It’s also a delightful way for people with good humor and generous hearts to share a day away from work in a relaxing setting, reinvigorating old friendships and forming new ones.

Rich Castle emcees events at the Diane Castle Memorial Golf Outing.
 
The Annual Diane Castle Memorial Golf Outing:
May 2008 This annual golf event, which takes place at prestigious Bergen Hills Country Club in River Vale, is a labor of love for the Castle family and their many friends to honor Diane Castle, who died at the very young age of 38 from ovarian cancer.
 
Six-time LPGA champ Val Skinner (2nd left) joins KOH president Lois Myers (left), KOH Golf Classic co-chair Peggy Lee Peterson (2nd right) and the golf committee’s Amy Casale on the links.
 
For the entire Castle clan, the event is also a chance to catch up with friends and co-workers, particularly at the Otis Elevator and United Elevator companies, and play a round in honor of one of KOH’s heroines in the fight against ovarian cancer. “I have been playing for about twenty years and play as much as work and family will permit—which translates into ‘not as much as I’d like,’” Castle says.
 

 

At the Kaleidoscope of Hope Foundation we are proud to be a link in that vital bridge, offering two major annual tournaments as part of our ongoing fund-raising efforts to bring awareness of and find an early detection test for ovarian cancer. Also, we really enjoy having fun as much as anyone. And as the organizers and participants in both these tournaments will attest, KOH knows how to plan a great day of golf.
KOH board member Peggy Lee Peterson co-chairs activities at the First Annual Kaleidoscope of Hope Golf Classic.
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“Diane was very popular and many of the golfers have a connection to our family in one way or another,” says Rich Castle, who, with his sister Patti, brother Jimmy, and parents Jim and (KOH board member) Pat Castle organize the event every May. “People are more than happy to come out supporting a good cause and to play some golf,” says Castle. “Our fees are not that expensive compared to other outings that are held at courses in the area, and they don’t compare to the entire package players get at River Vale.”
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Piece of cake: Tammy Szwayka sinks her putt at River Vale.
Winners all: First-place finishers Owen Loffredo, John Notte, Vinny Urgola and Joe Signa, with host Rich Castle at River Vale.
 
Val Skinner smiles confidently as yet another golfer tries to “beat the pro.”
Castle family patriarch Jim Castle gets a fair shake from United Elevator’s Jim Rein.
 
And respond they did, as the event raised thousands of dollars for KOH, which included both a silent and live auction, the latter led in rousing and entertaining style by committee volunteer Amy Casale. Another plus was having on hand Ladies Professional Golf Association great Val Skinner as the event’s special guest. Skinner, a New Jersey native and six-time LPGA champion, has long been a champion of another sort, espousing the fight against cancer through her Val Skinner Foundation and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, where KOH currently funds the four-year Kaleidoscope of Hope Fellowship.
Joy Graber takes aim as Joe Hohenstein, Tom Fleck and Gary Nonemacher look on at River Vale.
Val Skinner poses with the KOH Golf Classic committee: l-r, KOH board members and golf co-chairs George Salamy and Peggy Lee Peterson; KOH board member Gerri Meer; KOH president Lois Myers; committee members Peggy Nelson, Amy Casale and Carter Smith
 
With us in high spirits: the Gail Mac Neil tribute at Brooklake Country Club.
The event took on an unexpected poignancy with the passing of KOH co-founder and former president Gail MacNeil just a week earlier. “Gail was with us all in spirit,” says Peterson. Indeed, Gail showed up not only in spirit but in some terrific photographs via a special tribute table set up especially for the Silent Auction.
Pat Castle holds court at the golf tournament honoring her late daughter.
Think Christmas: Bob LaBruzza and Michael Tremonte check out the silent auction items at the Diane Castle Memorial Golf Outing.
That said, playing at River Vale can prove a wake-up call for even regular golfers. The 475-yard, par-4 15th hole is considered by some as one of the toughest in the entire state of New Jersey. Even before players reaches the 15th, they need to conquer the deceptively tough 14th hole, a 233-yard, par-3 where people rarely tote along enough of a club selection because it plays farther than it looks.
The 2008 event raised almost $19,000, helped along by the first-place team of Owen Loffredo, John Notte, Vinny Urgola and Joe Signa.
What do I hear?: Amy Casale goes all out at the Golf Classic’s live auction.
 
Kaleidoscope of Hope Golf Classic: June 2008
 On June 30, 2008 approximately 60 players convened at Florham Park’s elegant Brooklake Country Club for the first annual Kaleidoscope of Hope Golf Classic. The weather was perfect, the course challenging, and the competition friendly yet tough. At the end of the day, during the awards banquet, the players and their friends, family and KOH sponsors who joined them for dinner, all felt happy that they’d contributed to a very special occasion.
Val Skinner discusses golf and ways to fight ovarian cancer with Golf Classic players.
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“It was time to do this,” says KOH board member Peggy Lee Peterson, who, along fellow board member George Salamy, co-chaired the inaugural event. “I felt that we’d sort of made our mark this year by reaching more than $1 million in funds donated for research,” she says. “People knew who we were as a non-profit. Also, golfers are so generous and we had so many people who’d been touched by ovarian cancer, both at the tournament and on our committee, that I had no doubt people would respond enthusiastically.”
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Joe Hohenstein coaxes in his putt as Gary Nonemacher watches on at River Vale.
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Skinner also came to the tournament with charm and a generous sense of humor, especially while hosting a “beat the pro” competition at the 16th hole, where, once or twice, she unexpectedly “came in second” to a very happy player. “She was a true pro,” says Peterson. “She was willing to take photos with the players, stayed on until after the dinner and even bid on the live auction. She was down to earth and committed and was a delight to have with us.”
 
Amy Casale and Val Skinner share a laugh and some shade at Brooklake.
 
 
Rich Castle lets loose at the Diane Castle Memorial Golf Outing.
 
Non-golfers Ann Marie Bataglia, Turn The Towns Teal co-chair, and Marc Boisclair, KOH VP, enjoy the Golf Classic awards banquet.
 
[All photography by Dan Hedden Photography, LLC/danielhedden.com]
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