Around Town: Golf tournament raises $170,000 for veterans services

Retired Gen. George Casey, former chief of staff of the Army, attended Goodwill of Orange County’s annual Golf Invitational on Monday at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Coast, where more than $170,000 was raised to support Goodwill’s Tierney Center for Veteran Services.

More than 140 people participated in the event.

“This is the third year that our golf fundraising event is dedicated to supporting our veterans services and programs,” Frank Talarico Jr., president and chief executive of Goodwill of Orange County, said in a statement. “The money raised allows us to expand our job placement and training services and larger holistic approach serving those who served us.”

The Tierney Center for Veteran Services connects veterans to services at no cost through a network of partners and resources. The center’s goal is to put 15,000 veterans to work by 2020.

Irvine man honored with fundraising award

Irvine resident Iain Jones was recently recognized for his fundraising efforts during the 2015 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

Jones, a member of Team World Vision, raised more than $65,000 last year, earning him a top individual fundraiser title. More than $18.7 million was raised from the event in total.

“We are honored to recognize Iain as our top individual fundraiser for his dedication to Team World Vision, a charity devoted to bringing clean water to people around the world,” Paul Lambert, Chicago market president for Bank of America, said in a statement. “Iain’s commitment to Team World Vision’s mission is commendable, raising more than $100,000 over the last decade. Iain truly embodies the team’s motto, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’”

Team World Vision, which has more than 1,300 runners, began participating in the Chicago Marathon in 2005. Since then, the team has raised more than $18 million through marathon fundraising efforts.

Director appointed for UCI post-grad assistance program

UC Irvine Extension announced the appointment of Leigh Poirier as program director of UCI+One, a new program meant to prepare alumni for post-graduate life by guiding them in career choices, post-graduate travel and applying for graduate schools and internships.

Previously, Poirier was director of the UCI Graduate Resource Center and a faculty member at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa.