Pro-Bono Event at Bogey Grille A Success!

Last Saturday night the great local rock band Pro Bono played to a standing only crowd at Ponte Vedra Beaches family sports-bar Bogey Grille. The event was held to support the newly formed JT Townsend Foundation. Bogey Grille donated ten percent of food sales plus donations from the patrons were accepted from the supportive crowd.

Tommy Zitiello of Funk’s Punks explained the idea behind “JTTF”. He told the story of how a defensive strong safety on The Episcopal High School football team on a Friday night in 2004, his senior year, took a freak hit from a fellow player and fell to the ground with a life threatening spinal cord injury. He further explained how local pro golfer Fred Funk met JT and the Townsend family and immediately saw the need for his help for this inspiring young man.

The rest is local history. Fred played in the “Skins Game” that year and donated a percentage of his earnings to his preferred charity JT Townsend. His money and his wife Sharon’s efforts resulted in a wheelchair accessible home for the Townsend family. With the help of Fred’s fan club, The Funk’s Punks and the entire Jacksonville community, the family moved into the beautiful completely furnished home in 2006 in true “home makeover” style.

Five years later, JT is scheduled to graduate with a degree in Sports Management from the University of North Florida in 2012.

JT took the mic and explained he has decided to GIVE BACK to the community that so generously gave to him by creating his own foundation to provide money, services and adaptive equipment to local disabled people. This brings JT full circle. He is truly “paying it forward”.

Bogey’s donated 10% of food to JTTF. In fact, Luther Delp and his family attended the event. Luther was the first recipient to receive the gift of a glider from JTTF. Luther and his wife claim the glider has enabled Luther to once again stand tall while exercising his upper body after he was thrown 75 feet in the air and landed on a car hood leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

This fundraiser was one of the first events held. The web site will list a calendar of upcoming events, so make sure you visit often.

Help JT make his dream come true by donating or becoming a sponsor or partner today.