| | Published March 2nd, 2011
| Moraga Bulls Support Our Troops
| | Submitted by Bernie Smit |  | | From left, back row: Thomas Morris, Paul Coupin, Rick Nedell, Terry Caughell, Chris Hoff, Ig Vega, Tap Sittiseri, Ron Centerwall, Frank Angelo, Dan Sanguinetti, Eric Baymiller, Whit Porter, Ken Laversin, Larry Koch, Joe Martello, Randy Colombo, Raj Verma, Rich Jones, Jim Manzi; front row: Bernie Smit, Jason Woodworth (MCC Head Pro), Sal Torres, Willie Osterman. Bulls' donors not pictured: Sal Vacarro, Eric Karver, Tim Alford, Sean Absher, Matt Rei, Mark Knox, Tom Tyson, Pete Heckler, Mike Holbrook, Bret Brodowy, Bob Latham and Mark Solomon. Photo provided
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When Joe Martello formed the Moraga Bulls, he probably didn't realize the depths of fellowship that would result. The Moraga Bulls are a group of Moraga Country Club members who work hard all week then get together to golf every Friday afternoon.
"Most of these guys come here to blow off the pressure of the work week and have a good time while playing a round of golf," says Dan Sanguinetti, owner of PC Professional, an Oakland-based technology company. "Joe did a great thing when he formalized this loosely knit group of golfers into what is now known at The Moraga Bulls" adds Paul Crinks, the reigning Bulls Champion.
In the past, the Bulls have rallied around some very local causes, including supporting a couple of promising local golfers. Recently, the Bulls raised money to help pay for the college educations of the children of Cary Chiappone, who passed away last October - "That was a heartbreaker and affected us all very deeply" said Tom Tyson on the loss of Chiappone, a fellow Bull.
When the Bulls' Bernie Smit got word that his lifelong best friend, Army Reservist Sergeant Russell Hiller, a 48-year-old father of young twins, was being called to duty in Afghanistan he knew that he could count on the Bulls to step up to the plate again. "The last time I visited with Sergeant Hiller, we played golf. So I decided to send his unit an entire pallet of golf equipment. I figured they could use the equipment to hit balls during their downtime."
Smit was not surprised when the Bulls rose to the occasion. "The guys made this really easy. Everyone wanted to help." In all, Smit collected several thousand golf balls, over 20 sets of clubs, 10,000 tees, hitting mats, putting greens, golf bags, and other golf related items.
"The Bulls were very generous. Every one of them, to a man, said how much they appreciate the sacrifice of the 742nd SMC, Sergeant Hiller's unit. We take our freedom so much for granted. Then we see a unit of soldiers deploy, soldiers with similar demographics to ours, and it really hits home as to how much they are sacrificing for all of us.....we just had to say thank you."
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA