First Responders of the Triad teams with Tunnel to Towers for annual fundraiser at Greensboro National

The seventh-annual First Responders of the Triad (FROT) is set for Oct. 3 at Greensboro National Golf Club, where organizers hope to raise $200,000 for first responders.

Last year’s event raised $125,000 — $50,000 of which was donated to the Western North Carolina Association of Firefighters to help first responders cover insurance deductibles for personal property losses caused by Hurricane Helene.

The event dates back to the summer of 2019 when FROT was born, the result of the desire of Herb Parks and Patrick Donnelly, partners in residential development company, Byron Donnelly Development LLC, to give back for their success. Attorney Marc Isaacson offered to form the 501(c)3 without charge.

Greensboro National Golf Club, and an ideal setting for a charitable event operated by Byron Donnelly, and members of the building industry are the contributors, with 100% of the net proceeds going to those involved as First Responders, who were helping other victims of the disaster while facing financial obstacles of their own caused by the hurricane.

FROT had already made an aggressive fundraising goal of $100,000 for its 2024 event when just a week before the event, wind and flooding from Hurricane Helene devastated North Carolina on Sept. 27, primarily in its western Appalachian region.

The 2024 event went on as scheduled, with many of their participants in affected areas helping with the devastation, and through the support from the region’s land development partners, contractors, vendors, and builders the event raised nearly $125,000. All net proceeds were donated to organizations including God’s Pit Crew, Danville Life Saving and First Aid Crew, City of Greensboro Fire Department, American Red Cross, and the Western North Carolina Association of Firefighters.

As a proud supporter of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, FROT is amplifying a mission born from the ashes of 9/11 — to “do good” by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children, building specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and working tirelessly to end veteran homelessness.

Above all, Tunnel to Towers and FROT share a solemn vow to ensure America never forgets September 11, 2001. Together, FROT and Tunnel to Towers are a movement of hope, resilience, and gratitude. They remind us that even in the face of tragedy, communities can rise, united by the courage of first responders and the generosity of those who honor their sacrifice.

Join them in their mission to uplift, rebuild, and inspire — because together, we can make a difference that echoes for generations.  

On Jan. 8, 2024, Tunnel to Towers paid off the mortgage on the home of Sgt. Philip Nix, an off-duty Greensboro policeman shot and killed only nine days earlier when he attempted to intervene in a crime he witnessed at a gas station in Colfax. Tunnel to Towers’ quick support and commitment to first responders prompted FROT to partner with the organization this year.

For information on sponsorship or playing opportunities, contact Patrick Donnelly at pdonnelly@byrondev.com 336-282-2440. The tournament includes breakfast, lunch and dinner and awards prizes to the top teams.