In 2013, John Pillar, PGA of America Director of Golf at The Country Club at Woodloch Springs in Hawley, Pennsylvania, was asked to host a fundraiser to pay tribute to military heroes. The request came from local resident Kim Mecca, whose daughter wanted to honor the Veteran community for her high school senior project.
The fundraiser, which drew 60 participants and raised $1,847, inspired Pillar to take things further and get involved with the Folds of Honor Foundation, benefiting the families of fallen and disabled U.S. Armed Service members.
“I had met Folds founder (Lt. Col.) Dan Rooney and realized the direction I wanted to take,” Pillar says. “In our lives, we come across individuals who make a strong impression and make us want to be better. That happened with Dan Rooney, a PGA Professional, and was the start of something special.”
The next year, Woodloch honored local fallen hero Staff Sergeant Paul Sweeney, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2003 and whose children Pillar had coached in youth sports. The club was able to present them with $20,000 in scholarship money.
In 2015, the honoree was LCpl. Jacob Beisel, who had joined the Marines in 2003 after graduating from nearby Wallenpaupack Area High School and lost his life three years later serving in Iraq.
At the 2016 PGA Show in Orlando, Pillar met Larry Robinson, VP of Development for Folds of Honor, who was with the Chicago chapter at the time, and they came up with an idea to help ramp things up.
“It was then I decided we wouldn’t just hold a fundraiser for Folds. We would honor local people, and there were a lot of them,” Pillar says. “That was when the community really started to get involved and fundraising started to compound.”
In the last decade, Woodloch has raised over $1.2 million for Folds of Honor, leading to 220 scholarships and other opportunities for the families of fallen and disabled armed service members. In addition to the military heroes honored, 13 families have been invited to enjoy a free vacation at Woodloch Pines Resort, which features fun activities on Lake Teedyuskung, as well as a world-class spa at The Lodge at Woodloch.
“It’s really the next generation paying a price for their father’s service,” says John Kiesendahl, a Navy Veteran whose parents founded the resort in 1958. “What started as a high school project has evolved into a major fundraising effort, and we are proud for the part we play in that.”
The 2024 event, held the first weekend in August, honored Master Sgt. Scott Ball of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, who was one of five people killed during a 2007 ambush in Afghanistan’s Kunar province. The tournament drew 140 participants from the local area and beyond, and 50 sponsors, including Harry Horn of Academy Financial out of Lutherville, Maryland, which has been a sponsor since the first year.
“This event has grown because of the dedication and foresight of John and the Woodloch family,” Horn says. “The work is critical, supporting military families and helping boost morale, as the country and this community in particular honor their sacrifice.”
All told, The Country Club at Woodloch Springs has honored 19 military heroes through Folds of Honor, and is also an active participant in PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), introducing 14 local Veterans and active duty military to the game in 2024 to promote their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being.
“In my wildest dreams, I never thought we’d be where we are today,” Pillar said to participants and sponsors at the 2024 Folds of Honor post-tournament dinner in August.
“We’re going to donate over $325,000 to Folds this year. Our mission is meaningful, people support it and we’re changing lives every time we have this event.”
—Lisa Goulian Twiste