My Three Sons Foundation Garners Support to Fulfill a Mission

For some people, four years is a long time to rally around a very personal cause and to keep up the level of dedication and enthusiasm that is needed to accomplish an ambitious goal. To do that and still make it fun, memorable, and filled with warmth and genuine affection is even rarer. The My Three Sons Foundation has managed to do all of that and much more, as evidenced by yet another wonderful evening on May 21, 2010 at the PNC Bank Arts Center’s Reception Center. There, family, friends, and neighbors came together to celebrate the fourth annual My Three Sons fundraiser, with dinner, dancing, and a performance by the famed Party Dolls. Their purpose? To raise funds for the organization that was established in memory of Tom Nolan, a beloved Holmdel resident and volunteer, and to fulfill a promise to provide support for his wife Janice and their three young sons.

It was another sellout event and the room was filled with a tangible air of enthusiasm and friendship as hundreds of guests happily enjoyed one another’s company. Taking the microphone to welcome everyone, Tim McDonnell, who heads up the foundation established for his friend, looked around at the sea of faces and began with, “I say it every year, and I’ll say it again. You guys just amaze me.” He went on to speak about all the efforts that are made during the year by the organization, not just for the Nolan family, but to benefit others, as well.

Last year, for example, the foundation lent support to the McLaughlin Pentecostal Faith Church in Long Branch, NJ, with My Three Sons volunteers quickly rallying during the holiday season to collect toys and donations and bringing them to the church. The pastor, Rev. Caroline Bennett, was introduced as a special guest at the May dinner and took a few moments to express her thanks. Mr. McDonnell, for his part, took the opportunity to point out that when asked recently what the parish needed most, Rev. Bennett had said that they needed linens for the communion table and a computer for the church – and so, he asked that a special donation be taken up on the spot, with dinner guests contributing whatever they could to make that wish a reality.

As always, Mr. McDonnell was generous in the kudos he gave to a long list of people, from individuals to families, sports coaches to school administrators, and in particular to the group of teens from the community who have turned out every year to assist the foundation and its efforts. Special recognition was given to this year’s award recipients, including one female and one male student athlete who were each presented with a scholarship by Holmdel Schools Athletic Director Randy Westrol. The 2010 scholarships went to Alexandra Diekmann and Michael Perillo, who were lauded not only for their outstanding athletic talents, but their scholastic achievements and community service, as well. 

Other honorees for the evening were Sophia Esposito, Lisa Mowery, Michele Shields, and Maria Martorelli for all of their hard work and support for the children of Holmdel, along with Rich Alvino and Jeff McGrath for their many contributions to the success of the My Three Sons organization and their support of the Nolan boys. 

The most important award each year is the Tom Nolan Good Guy Award, given to the person who best embodies the fine qualities and character for which Tom Nolan is remembered. “This is a tough one,” said Mr. McDonnell, with Janice Nolan by his side. He went on to explain how, four years ago, he watched as “a kid became a man” and grew to become a fine role model for the children of Holmdel, honing his leadership skills, exhibiting great strength and character, and earning the respect and admiration of all who know him. For all of that and more, the 2010 Tom Nolan Good Guy Award was presented to a very special honoree: Tommy Nolan, Tom’s eldest son and a member of this year’s graduating class from Holmdel High School.

Turning the tables on the gracious accolades – and the gentle roasting – that Mr. McDonnell gives to others, he was given a heartwarming and humorous tribute by Tess Alvino, currently a college student who wrote about him for a journalism class. She recounted the history of the foundation and the ways in which he had reached out and rallied so many in support of its mission, noting, “A small idea caused an epic response that shook a small town.”

By evening’s end, Mr. McDonnell happily reported in the days following the event, the foundation had reached its goal of raising $100,000 for the Nolan boys’ college funds. Plans are already underway for next May’s fifth and final dinner, to celebrate the accomplishments of the foundation and to honor once more the “good guy,” Tom Nolan, and his legacy that brought so many together, in so many ways.