Shown are some of the committee members of The First Baptist Church planning the inaugual Keith & Warren Dudley Golf Tournament to be held on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023 at Sands Springs Country Club, Drums. Registration: 7:00 a.m. Shotgun start: 8:00 a.m. Proceeds will benefit the Keith & Warren Dudley Scholarship Foundation as well as the Church’s Youth Find for the Leaders in Faith program. Show seated, left to right: Brandi Bartush, Vanessa Dudley (honorary tournament chair), First Lady Sherrell Breese. Standing: Ben Tielle, Doug Thubbron, Rev. James Breese.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON – The First Baptist Church (FBC) will be hosting a fundraiser golf tournament for the first time the church’s history. The Keith M. Dudley Golf Tournament will be held at Sands Springs Country Club in Drums on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.
Registration is at 7 a.m. and a shotgun start at 8 a.m.
The tournament will benefit the Keith & Warren Dudley Scholarship Foundation and The First Baptist Church Youth Fund for the Future Leaders in Faith.
The late Keith Dudley, a member of the FBC, passed away suddenly in Oct. of 2022, leaving a legacy as a faithful husband, father, and member of the church. The late Warren Dudley was Keith’s father.
During his time at the FBC Dudley served as a Board Trustee, member of the Men’s Fellowship and Willing Workers and contributed greatly to the Vacation Bible School program where the church places a large emphasis on the youth.
The Keith & Warren Dudley Foundation is provide scholarship funds to qualified African-American students who are enrolled in STEM courses and interested in civil engineering in order to help increase the number of African-American professionals in civil engineering.
Johnson Mirmiran Thompson (JMT), a national engineering firm with the nearest location in Allentown, employed Keith Dudley as a civil engineer.
According to Dudley’s widow Vanessa, her husband was the lead engineer for a large six-lane highway-widening project of I-476 (N.E. Extension of the P.A. turnpike) near Quakertown and south.
“I’m humbled by the tournament, but I’m also deeply touched by it,” Vanessa said. “As a wife, I know what an amazing man he was and it makes me very proud to know that other people can see him for the awesome and amazing man he was and how he impacted them.”
Dudley was 63 years old at the time of his passing was in the middle of planning a scholarship for young African-Americans looking to a future in STEM courses, in particular as a civil engineer.
The Keith & Warren Dudley Foundation was created by Vanessa after Keith’s passing and believes gaining proceeds from the golf tournament is a great start for the foundation.
Keith was the father of daughters Jade and Cheyenne, who both live out of state.
“Anybody who knew my husband knew he was a giver and very generous,” Vanessa said. “I know he’s looking down and thrilled to see that he is being honored, he would think that he would deserve it because he was a natural giver. He’s would be thrilled knowing the money would go to the scholarship.”
The FBC Pastor James H. Breese is excited about the very first golf tournament sponsored by the church.
Pastor Breese said he couldn’t be happier that half the proceeds is going towards his great friend Keith’s foundation as well as the second half of the proceeds go to the church’s Youth Fund for the Future Leaders in Faith.
“I called Vanessa and said he would like the first golf tournament to be called the Keith Dudley Golf Tournament,” Rev. Breese said. “Keith had been taking golf lessons and went out and got his own golf clubs and he was ready to go.”
“The fact that Keith knew so many people, that when people see who this golf tournament is about, there’s no doubt in my mind this is going to be great,” Rev. Breese added.
Proceeds for FBC will go towards the Christian Education and Youth Fellowship programs such as Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, Christ-Centered trips and Youth Choir. All programs are offered to the community as well as the youth of the congregation.
Tournament official with the church are looking for golf sponsors or prize donations as well as raffle items.
Committee members for the golf event are: Rev. Breese, First Lady Sherrell Breese, Vanessa Dudley (honorary chair), Brandi Bartush, Ailona Parker, Kenny Rogers, Doug Thubbron, Ben Tielle, Charles Watson, Mike Sell and Terry Vieney.
For more information on the golf event or care to donate or sponsor a hole, contact Ben Tielle at 570-430-1924 or email him at benjamin.tielle@gmail.com, or go to the church’s website at https://fbcpittston.org/upcoming-events.
