Classmates, friends and family gathered for the fourth annual Golf Tournament on Oct. 27, honoring the lives of Brian Jones ’02 and Tiffany Porte Woodruff ’02. Close friends of the two, including Neil King ’02, planned the tournament for almost a year, working to get sponsorships and donations.
King expressed that this was the most successful tournament of the four by having the most participation from the class and raising thousands of dollars for Tenaciously Teal and the Brian Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund for St. Charles Borromeo School.
“Time is probably the biggest factor because we want to really maximize the dollar amount that goes to the charities,” King said. “I took off work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and I spent the day with boots on the ground trying to get prizes donated.”
Tarah Green, close friend and CEO of Tenaciously Teal, created a company during her own treatment for those who struggle with ovarian cancer. Green donated money towards the tournament in support of Tiffany Porte Woodruff ’02, who passed after a battle with ovarian cancer.
“It started with care packs that are things I used on a daily basis to fight ovarian cancer,” Green said. “I was diagnosed in 2012 and then did 16 months of chemo starting in 2013, and I noticed a lot of patients who didn’t have support.”
After bringing a few packs to other patients during her chemo treatments, the company started to grow larger and more impactful.
“We’ve distributed over 53,000 Cancer Care packs to men, women, and kids fighting cancer,” Green said. “Our primary focus is on adults, but we will send out kids care packs and have helped some families with our financial assistance program.”
Cindy Radke Jones ’73 and Rick Jones ’72 celebrated the life of their son Brian throughout the tournament.
“I appreciate the efforts of Neil and the others who put the golf tournament together in memory of Brian and Tiffany,” Cindy Radke Jones said. “It’s emotional for me when I see so many of Brian’s good friends come together to raise money for two great causes.”
Along with raising money for Tenaciously Teal, donations go to the Brian Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund for St. Charles Borromeo School, where Brian attended middle school.
“Originally, there were some lower income people at St. Charles who couldn’t afford the tuition,” Rick Jones said. “Once that fund was started, people began to contribute to it when the golf tournament started four years ago.”
Many of Brian Jones’ family members came and donated to the golf tournament, including siblings, nephews and his niece.
“It’s a good time for the family to be there and be together,” Rick Jones said. “It’s celebrating Brian’s life and the impact that he had on all of his friends.”
