Belen Jesuit Preparatory School

Golfers tee off for a good cause

Alberto "Tico" Gutierrez ‘88 | Golf Tournament Committee Co-Chair
On February 3rd, members of our Belen community came together to play in the 18th Annual Fr. Izquierdo Memorial Golf Tournament.
It was a beautiful afternoon for alumni, parents, teachers and friends to get together and raise funds for the school’s Financial Assistance Program. 
 
Thanks to a number of Belen Alumni, this year’s tournament got off on the right foot. Carlos Perez-Abreu '88 and Demetrio Perez '94 stepped up in our committee meetings and started bringing in sponsors and foursomes.  Not everyone that helped was an alumnus. New to our committee was attorney David Fernandez ‘92. Fernandez is what former Alumni President Carlos Battle calls “a maniac with a mission”.  He put his head down, made calls and before the rest of us knew it, many of our sponsor levels were filled with his friends and family. 
 
Our tournament is known for having an atmosphere of fun and providing participants with excellent goodie bags. This year’s bag consisted of a Nike shirt, backpack cooler, a golf umbrella, a visor, and a “B” branded tumbler.  Thanks to a surprise donation by Belen dad Christian Eiroa, our golfers received a CLE Golf Survival kit which included 3 premium cigars, golf tees, a shot glass and a dual flame lighter.  Another tournament staple is the annual lunch provided by Belen dad Victor Alvarez. La Esquina del Lechon came through with their signature pan con lechon, mariquitas and chicharrones. 
 
After all that excitement and the customary banter that happens whenever we get together with our classmates, it was time for golf.  Father Willie kicked off the event with a prayer and an enthusiastic “Our Lady of Belen, Pray for Us.” Let’s just say we don’t have any future PGA golfers among us, instead we have some golfers that are very good at giving us "alternative facts" on their scorecards. All in all, the day wasn’t about winning or losing, it was the time that we were able to disconnect and enjoy each other's company while raising money for the scholarship fund to ensure others can have a Jesuit education.
 
When all was said and done we had multiple winners, including Gus Perez-Abreu's team, that also supplied the hole-in-one car and other vehicles that were on display courtesy of Braman Miami. Early reports indicate that we raised $27,000 more than we did last year. This would not have been possible without the financial support of our sponsors, such as Domingo "Opi" Moreira '91 with Capillus, Demetrio Perez ’91, Manny Diaz ’73, AA Uniforms, MBAF, Baptist Health, Coca-Cola, TD Bank, Northern Trust, Sabadell Bank, Leon Medical Centers, Jose Milton and Associates, Mercedes Benz of Coral Gables, and the Law Office of Alexis Gonzalez. 
 
Needless to say there’s a lot of work that happens behind the scenes to make this event possible.   Yvonne Von Der Osten and Mariano Loret de Mola '58 spearheaded the efforts along with Phil Fernandez '94, Ricardo Raimundez '90, Teresa Martinez, Miguel Tomasino, Mirna Menendez, Miriam Cambo-Martinez and Jorge Iglesias, who every year goes above and beyond to help. Parent volunteers also were an essential part of the team. Big thank you to: Grismari Amparo, Mario Fernandez, Monique Garcia, Debbie Hernandez, Ramon Lanza '88, Ignacio Lizama, and Claudia Navarro. This year we sold out a month before the event, so if you’re interested in joining us next year on the green, please contact Mrs. von der Osten at yvonderosten@belenjesuit.org. Click here to view the photo album. 
Back
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: communications@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba, by Queen Isabel II of Spain.  The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline.  In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the school's property and expelled the Jesuit faculty.  The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit is situated on a 34-acre site in western Dade County, just minutes away from downtown Miami.