Family and friends of Aaron ‘Guad’ Guadagnolo will memorialize the young man with a golf tournament and dinner on Aug. 16 at Millstone Golf Course in Elbridge.
“Guad’s Memorial Benefit” will establish the fund for an annual Jordan-Elbridge Dollars for Scholars scholarship in his name.
Guadagnolo was killed on May 20 when the motorcycle he was operating was struck by a mini-van on South Hamilton Road in Elbridge.
Though he was not a golfer, friends felt the event would be a big draw around the community, said Ben Ecker.
Ecker and Guadagnolo became friends in the second grade, grew up only a half mile apart and joined the Elbridge Volunteer Fire Department together. He heard the benefit was being planned just a week after Guadagnolo was killed, and became involved right away.
Another fellow firefighter and friend, Josh Champlain, called Guadagnolo someone you wanted in your corner, someone he was grateful to have had the chance to be close with, a gentle giant.
“But he didn’t want anyone to know that, either,” said Champlain, laughing. “But he definitely did have heart.”
Guadagnolo is as a hunter and outdoorsmen, and the life of the party in any situation.
“He was just such a big guy,” said Ecker. “He was always smiling, he always had a good time.”
The golf tournament will cost $65 per person or $260 per team of four, price includes golf, cart, dinner, and refreshments at the turn. Applications are available at Millstone Golf Course. Shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.; there will be raffles and competitions.
Dinner will begin at 3:30 p.m. and is available to non-golfers for $20 per person. Chicken barbeque dinners will be provided by Total Barbeque. Live music will entertain dinner guests throughout the afternoon.
Donations and tournament applications may be returned to Guad’s Memorial Scholarship, P.O. Box 33, Elbridge, NY 13060. For more information, call Jim at 730-9713.
