By Kim McDarison
The 22nd Annual Spence Jensen Classic Opportunities, Inc., fundraiser attracted some 140 golfers this year to the Koshkonong Mounds Country Club where teams of four negotiated the 18-hole golf course in support of underserved populations, Opportunities, Inc., President and CEO Barb LeDuc said Thursday.
This year, among those navigating the course were retired Green Bay Packers players Lynn Dickey and Paul Coffman. The two arrived together in Fort Atkinson, having traveled earlier in the week from Kansas to Wisconsin, where they attended several charitable events.
Golfers gathered at the country club’s clubhouse late Thursday morning to register and grab some lunch, which was donated by Rock Rococo Pizza in Whitewater.
Ken Dahnert, who said he is a retired owner of the restaurant after 38 years, and Becca Bruner, who serves as the general store manager, were on hand to distribute lunch to players.
At 11:30 a.m., in advance of the “shotgun start,” LeDuc welcomed event-goers as they assembled around their golf carts.
Within her opening remarks, LeDuc introduced the two former Packers, noting “our theme this year is ‘a classic event,’” she said, in honor of the two guests, whom she described as “classic players.”
She additionally thanked Lyle Wuestenberg of J and L Tire in Johnson Creek for his help in bringing the players to the golfing event.
Offering some history, LeDuc said last year, the golfing tournament brought 132 golfers to the country club, and this year, some 140, who were divided among 35 teams, were participating in the fundraiser.
Seated in the clubhouse before boarding her own golf cart, LeDuc said the fundraiser is an Opportunities Inc., staple when seeking funds to serve individuals who are underserved and in need of support services. She described such services as vocational skills and training, along with life skills, focusing on those for whom funding is not readily available through more traditional fundraising avenues.
Back on the clubhouse parking apron, LeDuc thanked the event’s namesake, Spence Jensen, whom she described as her mentor, providing “a legacy of leadership at Opportunities, Inc.”
She offered thanks to David Radke of Rainbow Hospice, whom, she said, along with Wuestenberg brought the “golf cannon,” an instrument used in one of several contests found by golfers at several holes on the course. Participating in the contests earned the winning players prizes such as raffle tickets.
The cannon was set up at Hole No. 1, and gave participants a chance to blast their balls onto the course rather than taking a swing.
Among the various games, players could “Beat the Pro,” a contest offered at Hole No. 6. Koshkonong Mounds Country Club General Manager and golf pro Mason Kent was stationed at the hole, where he gave challengers a chance to take a tee shot and land their ball closer to the pin than his.
Players found such contests at eight of the course’s holes.
Following the tournament, the full event included a buffet dinner, followed by a silent auction, and a live auction, with Coffman serving as an auctioneer, along with radio personality Danielle Fairman, known for the syndicated radio show “Raised in Wisco.”
LeDuc said more than $30,000 worth of prizes had been donated to the auction.
Annually, she said, the golf tournament brings between $20,000 and $25,000 each year to aid in supporting participants of Opportunities, Inc.
She expressed her excitement about hosting Dickey and Coffman, saying “it was heartwarming to us that they agreed to do our fundraiser.”
She noted that the two players have attended many charitable events in the past several years.
Dickey said on Monday, he and Coffman flew into Wisconsin from Kansas and made their first stop in Wausau where they attended a fundraiser, titled the “Pink Ribbon Tournament,” in support of helping those with breast cancer. The pair has been attending the event for 24 years.
On Tuesday, they traveled to Johnson Creek, for a fundraiser, but they said, the event, scheduled for Wednesday, was rained out, so no golf was played.
Following Thursday’s event, the players said, they next planned to travel to Milwaukee were they would play on Friday and Saturday in the Vince Lombardi Memorial Golf Classic, a fundraiser in support of organizations that prevent cancer and provide care for those who are fighting it.
Dickey said that Wuestenberg, some 14 years ago, organized a benefit tournament to provide funds for a new hospital in Johnson Creek. The fundraiser began a collaboration between the good samaritan and the two ball players. The two former packers were already friends, they said.
Of Wuestenberg, Dickey said, “He is kind and generous. If there is someone nicer, I don’t know who it is.”
Coffman said he comes along on fundraising trips because he’s invited by Dickey.
“Whatever he wants to do, I do,” he said.
Thursday’s fundraiser fit with the schedule, the two men said, noting that Dickey has been coming to Wisconsin for the Vince Lombardi tournament since sometime in the 1970s, and Coffman has been coming since 1979.
Said Coffman: “We were buddies when we were playing, and we are comfortable with each other; we know what each other’s stupid thoughts are.”
By 1990, Coffman said, both players were in retirement, and they have been traveling together to charity events ever since.
Jason Frey, vice president of sales and customer service at Opportunities, Inc., and a co-chair of Thursday’s golfing event, along with Robin Kennedy, vice president of mission advancement at Opportunities, Inc., said he was talking with Wuestenberg, and learned that the two legendary players would be in the area during the time of the Spence Jensen Classic and an invitation was extended to Dickey to see if he could come.
“I’ve known Lyle for a handful of years, and when he heard this was happening this week, he just helped us put this together,” Frey said.
Along with the golfing event, the two Packers arrived in Fort Atkinson Thursday morning to meet with Opportunities, Inc., participants.
The organization held a packers celebration at its headquarters, Frey said. Some 200 participants were included, with about 100 attending the celebration in person in the organization’s break room, and another attending remotely from some of the organization’s other locations, LeDue said.
Following some brief instructions given by Kent, the teams left the parking area and dispersed throughout the course, LeDue, Dickey and Coffman boarded golf carts, with each player started on different sides of the course.
Plans called for the players to visit as many teams as possible, and perhaps take a swing. The day’s event was a “scramble” Kennedy said, meaning that each team member hits a tee shot and then the players decide which they like better, and the players all play from that spot.
The Packers also would mingle with golfers throughout the day, LeDuc said.
Sharing some thoughts Friday regarding the evening’s auction, Kennedy said: “Paul Coffman did an amazing job as our celebrity live auctioneer. He really motivated the golfers, and it was a very successful live auction. Most memorable was the interactions with all of our mission supporters with these classic Green Bay Packer players.”
Photos from the tournament follow.
Flanked to her right by Koshkonong Mounds Country Club General Manager Mason Kent, Opportunities, Inc., President and CEO Barb LeDuc welcomes golfers to Thursday’s fundraising event.
Retired and legendary Green Bay Packers players Lynn Dickey, at left, and Paul Coffman visit in advance of the shotgun start of the golfing event.
Golfers plan their activities. Thirty-five teams of players were called to man their carts in advance of the scramble shotgun start.
Koshkonong Mounds Country Club General Manager and golf pro Mason Kent offers final instructions before golfers are invited to move onto the course.
Lined up in their golf carts, teams await the shotgun start.
Retired Packer Lynn Dickey watches from the clubhouse parking lot as golfers prepare to move onto the course.
From the country clubhouse parking lot, retired Packer Paul Coffman helps send golfers off as they enter the course.
Exuberant golfers leave the clubhouse parking lot on their way to the course.
A team of golfers makes its way to Hole No. 1 where the “golf cannon” awaits.
A golf cannon, offering golfers a chance to blast their ball onto the course, is set up at Hole No. 1. The hole is one of eight “contest holes” where golfers can win prizes. In the cannon contest, the golfer whose ball, which is shot from the cannon, lands closest to the pin wins.
At Hole No. 2, a golfer takes a swing.
A golfer pauses to see where his ball has landed.
Golfers return to their carts after visiting a hole.
Golfers approach Hole No. 6 where they can play “Beat the Pro.”
Golf pro Mason Kent stands at the ready to take on challengers as they play “Beat the Pro” at Hole No. 6.
Golf pro Mason Kent, standing, front, at right, visits with golfers in advance of taking a swing as he plays “Beat the Pro.”
Golf pro Mason Kent takes a swing.
Spence Jensen, for whom the tournament is named, at left, and Barb LeDue, president and CEO of Opportunities, Inc., greet one another in advance of Thursday’s fundraising event.
Hannah Greene, standing, from left, Troy Norman, Spence Jensen, Barb LeDuc, and Mel Jeaggi, along with Phylis K., seated, from left, Stacy W., Deb W., and Amy W., are on hand as representatives of Opportunities, Inc., a community rehabilitation program based in Fort Atkinson, with additional locations in Watertown, Janesville, and Oconomowoc. The organization, according to its website was established in 1966 “through the grassroots vision of parents who were committed to ensuring their family members with disabilities had a place to learn, work and achieve independence.”
Ken Dahnert, who said he is a retired owner of the Rocky Rococo Pizza restaurant in Whitewater after 38 years, and Becca Bruner, who serves as the general store manager distribute a donated lunch to golfers as they arrive at the Koshkonong Mounds Country Club to register for the 22nd Annual Spence Jensen Classic Opportunities, Inc., fundraiser.
Cooper Jensen, a golf shop attendant who has been employed at the Koshkonong Mounds Country Club for four years, serves as course guide for Fort Atkinson Online photographer Kim McDarison. Jensen said that this year the course, which began as a 9-hole facility and was later expanded to 18 holes, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Jensen is a resident of Fort Atkinson and a 2024 graduate of Lakeside Lutheran High School in Lake Mills. This fall, he will attend Martin Luther College in Minnesota where he will study to become a high school teacher and play college-level competitive golf.
Kim McDarison photos.
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