Volunteers of America Hosts 25th Annual GolfStar Classic to Benefit Adoption Program

On March 14, Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans hosted its 25th Annual GolfStar Classic, presented by Jay Trusheim, Prudential Financial Professional, offering P&C through Liberty Mutual Insurance, at TPC Louisiana in Avondale. The tournament is the sole fundraiser for the organization's Adoption Program. As a licensed adoption agency for 75 years, Volunteers of America is a respected pioneer in issues such as open adoption. The Adoption Program works with both women facing unplanned pregnancies and with married couples struggling with fertility, and has united thousands of forever families over the decades.

More than 130 golfers participated in the tournament, and many families with children adopted through Volunteers of America also took part in the festivities. The winner of this year's raffle prize, a 2017 Mercedes-Benz, was also announced. The event featured food by Acme Oyster House, Texas Roadhouse, Five Happiness, Maurice French Pastries, Pepsi Beverage Company, CC's Coffee House and Southern Eagle; a fabulous silent auction; and a raffle for a 2017 Mercedes CLA250.

Additional sponsors included Entergy; Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.; Cox Communications; Retif Oil & Fuel; Simmons & Associates; Wendy's; Burk Holding Co. Inc.; F.H. Myers Construction Corporation; First NBC; Scott Mouledous Construction Company; Jones, Swanson, Huddell & Garrison LLC; UnitedHealthcare; Mercedes-Benz of New Orleans; Fore!Kids Foundation; The New Orleans Advocate; and TPC Louisiana

GolfStar Classic presenting sponsor Jay Trusheim, Prudential Financial Professional, offering P&C through Liberty Mutual Insurance, presents a check to Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans Board Member and GolfStar Classic Co-Chair Christy Howley Connois; Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans Board Chair, GolfStar Classic Sponsor and President and Chief Executive Officer of Imperial Trading Company Wayne M. Baquet Jr.; and President and CEO of Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans James LeBlanc. Also present representing Jay Trusheim is Aimee Gautreau (second from right).

Volunteers of America Society Member and President/Trustee of the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust Vince Giardina; and Volunteers of America Board Member, GolfStar Classic Sponsor and F.H. Myers Construction Company Chairman of the Board Fred Myers

Volunteers of America adoptive parents Ashley and David with their son Beckett and Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans Adoption Program Manager Lori Arceneaux

GolfStar Classic First Place foursome – Dan Lis, Jacob Bergeron Gary Dragon, and Michael Dragon – with Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans Board Member and GolfStar Classic Co-Chair Chanel Lagarde (left) and Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans President and CEO James LeBlanc (right)

Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans Board Member and CEO of Cardiovascular Institute of the South David Konur; and GolfStar Classic Sponsor and Customer Service/Project Manager of Entergy Preston Favorite

2017 GolfStar Classic Mercedes-Benz Raffle Winner Diana Harris, Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans Board Member and GolfStar Classic Co-Chair Chanel Lagarde, Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans Board Member and GolfStar Classic Co-Chair Christy Howley Connois, and Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans President and CEO James LeBlanc.