History

The Wiegand Farm Golf Classic - 50 Years of Making a Difference

Through the years, golf outings have helped raise over $5,000,000 for the Department for Persons with Disabilities and Catholic Charities, Diocese of Paterson. These events have helped give individuals, businesses and corporations an opportunity to get to know the DPD Family, while enjoying a fun and exciting day.

The Beginning
The Wiegand Farm Golf Classic is our longest running golf outing and one of the longest running charity golf events in the state of New Jersey.

Wiegand Farm is a rural family community setting located in Jefferson Township where men and women with intellectual and developmental disabilities live with dignity and in peace. Wiegand Farm is the location of our Administrative Offices and three of DPD’s group homes: (Knights of) Columbus House, Finnegan House and Giuliano House. Wiegand Farm is named after Peter Wiegand, a young boy with intellectual disabilities who was one of the first people DPD served.

The Wiegand Farm Golf Classic had its beginnings as a small local event, relying on community groups including the Optimist Clubs from Oak Ridge and Milton.

When the Optimist Club of Jefferson was first organized, it was made known that the Diocese of Paterson had purchased a farm on Weldon Road and was planning to build a summer camp for people with disabilities. The Club approved a motion to sponsor a golf outing for the benefit of Camp Alexander, which was under construction at the time. James Opeken, a Township Councilman, made a motion that it be called the "Wiegand Farm Golf Classic" and it was approved. Bill Rodgers and Jack Kelly were appointed co-chairmen.

The First Wiegand Farm Golf Classic
The first outing was played at Bowling Green Golf Club during October of 1975 and hosted 29 golfers. Wiegand Farm neighbor Albert Riggs opened this course 7 years prior in 1967 and we were one of the first charity groups to host an annual event there. Mr. Riggs suggested that we host it in the spring in future years and from then on it became a spring/summer outing.

The cost to play in the first event was $20.00 ($112 with inflation in 2019) and we raised over $800 on that first event ($4,500 with inflation in 2019).

Wiegand Farm Golf Classic volunteers did all of the cooking and scorekeeping at this inaugural event. Breakfast and lunch were cooked and served by Charlie Klein, Paul Douris, Ed Airey and "Mert" Brown. The registrars and scorekeepers were Willeen Walsh, Rose Kelly, Ann Opeken, Betty Klein, and others. This was long before the days of computers and everything was done by hand. We would not have been able to host this event without these fine men and women.

After playing 18 holes, the golfers made their way to the All Purpose Building (now the Barrett/Tatti Activity Center) at Wiegand Farm where dinner was prepared by Joe Florio, President of the Club and members of the Town Council. The golfers also had the opportunity to swim in DPD’s pool.

Anyone interested could take a tour of the facility to see just how their funds were being utilized. From those early days, the people who we serve were proudly involved with the event.

The effort that Jack Kelly, Bill Rodgers and the volunteers put forth helped the event grow to 129 golfers in 1976.

Forging Ahead
In the 1990’s and 2000’s the Wiegand Farm Golf Classic moved to several different courses including Great Gorge Golf Club in Vernon, Skyview Golf Course in Sparta and Picatinny Arsenal. In 2012 we moved back "home" to Bowling Green, 2 years later, we added a second course, Berkshire Valley, also in Jefferson Township. We were one of the few outings New Jersey to utilize two completely different venues simultaneously for one outing.

We added a 3rd course in 2018, the renowned Ballyowen Golf Club.

The Wiegand Farm Golf Classic has grown from a small local outing to a large, corporate backed event; while still keeping "small town" charm. From 2010 - 2018 the event has increased gross revenue by over 1,000% and attracted a record 335 golfers in 2018. It is now one of the largest golf outings in the United States. We owe much of this success to our event sponsor: Lakeland Bank.  Lakeland Bank was the Event Sponsor of the Wiegand Farm Golf Classic for over 2 decades.

50th Anniverary

In 2024, we celebrate a special milestone at 50 years of the Wiegand Farm Golf Classic. The outing will take place on June 17, 2024 at the Crystal Springs Resort in Sussex County, and over 450 golfers are expected to play the 4 of the resort's 18-hole courses: Wild Turkey, Crystal Springs, Ballyowen, and Black Bear. 
 

The Jack Kelly Green
If you mention the Wiegand Farm Golf Classic around Jefferson Township, one person’s name comes to mind: Jack Kelly. Jack, a past board member, has been involved with our organization since the early 1970’s and has been the chairman of our Wiegand Farm Golf Classic Committee for over 45 years. A selfless and determined gentleman, Jack has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for DPD through this event. In 2014, we retired a hole in honor of Jack; the 18th hole at the Wiegand Farm Golf Classic will forever be known as the Jack Kelly Green!

 We look forward to reaching new heights and making new memories with you by our side!

The Casey Classic, John Taggart Memorial Outing and Other Golf Events 

The late Father Stephen Patch realized the financial impact of the families and elderly parents who had adult children with developmental disabilities unable to care for themselves.  In light of their situation, he initiated the Casey Classic in 1975 with the purpose of supporting the programs of the Department for Persons with Disabilities.

Monsignor Patch enlisted corporate leaders and other benefactors who together helped develop the Casey Classic into the "Corporate Response to Helping Families in Need."  In the early 2000’s the torch was passed by Monsignor Patch onto a new generation of Casey supporters.  Patrick Newton, Paul Natoli, Michael O’Donnell and Glenn Stock led the Casey Classic Committee and helped raise over 500,000 in the decade in which they were Committee Members. 2010 was the last year in which we held a Casey Classic, due to a changing corporate and economic climate.  The legacy of the Casey Classic lives on through the Wiegand Farm Golf Classic which has now become DPD’s largest fundraiser of the year. 

John Taggart was a lifelong servant of the church and Brother Knight at the Knights of Columbus Council #943. All of the Taggart "Boys" are members of Council #943 and many of them were part of the original Squire organization at that Council. As John became more active in the council, one of his dearest fundraisers was the annual drive support people with developmental disabilities. He felt that God had blessed him with nine happy, healthy children and that he wanted to give back to the community to show his appreciation.  

On July 23, 1992, John passed away quietly after battling cancer. John's family wanted to pay tribute to their father. Youngest son, Terence took over as chairman of the disability drive in John's memory.  After chairing the drive successfully for 3 years Terence and fellow Knight, Pat Newton decided to expand upon the fundraising efforts and sponsored the John Taggart Memorial Golf Outing (JTMGO) in 1996. Connecting John's memory to the Department of People with Disabilities is the greatest gift his family could give in his memory.  

Numerous other service groups, including the Vernon Rotary Club and Paterson Federation Knights of Columbus host annual golf events to support Catholic Charities.