Superintendent’s Memorial Tribute
Eighteen-year director and superintendent of grounds Thomas “Tom” L. DiFonzo, at the Laconia (New Hampshire) Country Club died in 2018 at the young age of 49. Tom had a battle with esophageal cancer for two years and he passed at a hospice house. He served as president and board member and received the outstanding service award of the NHGCSA. He also served as the chapter liaison to GCSAA for many years. Tom’s three daughters were regulars at the club for years while growing up because he wanted to spend as much time with them as he could. Tom still lives on, as the club started a scholarship in his name. Superintendent Randy Weeks installed green’s flags from every club Tom worked at along with photos of him with his three daughters and a “DiFonzo Strong” memorial flag signed by all his employees at the time of his passing that resides in the employee lunchroom as a permanent memorial. Tom’s parking spot sign from in front of the clubhouse now permanently resides in the grillroom with the words “Always in our hearts” added by the membership. Assistants Ryan Malloy and Brian Thompson, crew foreman Dana Pruet, horticulturist Shelia White, and equipment manager Jason Bryant comprise a great team.
Two-Cycle Mixing & Dispensing System
Two 15-gallon (13½-gallon usable) Northern Tool tanks are mounted on heavy-duty shelf brackets with both tanks having grounding wires tied to the main fuel tanks to relieve static electricity. Ball valves were added to each tank's drain point serving several purposes: closed for mixing, to use one tank at a time, and emergency shutoff. The hose and nozzle ASM are included with the tank. 87 octane fuel in an Echo Red Armor 50:1 ratio two-cycle oil mix, using three 5-gallon mix containers or six 2½-gallon mix bottles. One tank lasts one to three weeks depending on the time of the year, even less during leaf/pine needle removal. It cost $340 in 2013 and moved to a new facility in 2016 using new mounting brackets, piping and grounding, which cost an additional $110 at that time. It took about three hours labor time. Brendan Parkhurst and Peter Rumery are the superintendent and equipment manager, respectively, at the Cape Arundel Golf Club in Kennebunkport, Maine. Bruce Hepner is the restoration architect.
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