There’s a tent and there’s a clown, but The Bunker – an after-party for the Memorial Tournament – is anything but a circus.
The adults-only shindig, held nightly in the parking lot at The Country Club at Muirfield Village after play ends, started two years ago. The May 29-June 1 event will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio with the theme “Tee it Up for the House.” A planned 42-bed expansion will make it the largest Ronald McDonald House in the world, offering housing to parents of hospitalized children.
The Bunker, which hosts live bands Wednesday through Saturday, requires an enormous amount of manpower.
“We originally had three or four guys that were working on it, and we now have 20 to 30 volunteers from the country club, and the Ronald McDonald House has put the full weight of their executives and staff behind it,” says Bunker founder John Warner. “We’ll have close to 400 volunteers staffing the event from bartenders to cleaning.”
The event wouldn’t be on track to raise between $50,000 and $100,000 this year if it weren’t for a dedicated group of volunteers – many of whom tackle a host of other charitable projects throughout the year.
Kathy Mankin, a member of the country club’s social committee, was asked by Warner last year to become part of The Bunker’s concierge program. Mankin recruited her good friend BJ Stone to participate along with her.
Bunker sponsors are entitled to concierge service, which means Mankin and Stone call sponsors ahead of the tournament to introduce themselves and offer whatever help they can deliver – from stocking golf carts with drinks and snacks for those who play rounds on the country club course to picking up tournament tickets.
“Whatever they need during the week, we are their go-to (people),” Mankin says. “We just tried to make them as comfortable as possible. We are available 24/7.”
The two had a blast working as concierges and anticipate they’ll have a similar experience this year.
“We had a great time and I think everyone enjoyed themselves,” says Stone. “I’ve hosted events or entertained people before, but it was new and it was great.”
Both women, who have been involved in other service organizations and charitable events, say working on The Bunker was a natural fit.
“I find myself wanting to give back,” says Stone, an account manager at Telhio Credit Union. “I work for an organization that really
encourages giving back to the community. Our CEO serves on several boards.”
Stone is a past member of the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees, is past president of the Dublin Worthington Rotary and has volunteered with the Arthritis Foundation of Central Ohio.
Mankin has been heavily involved in The Country Club at Muirfield Village Foundation, which addresses the health and welfare of the community, especially for children with special needs.
“They make grants every year and do fundraisers,” Mankin says. “All the board members are members of the country club.”
For example, Mankin cites a recent fundraiser thrown by Stu Kemper, CEO of Timbertech, who has a child with autism. Kemper formed a band with Timbertech employees and needed a place to host a concert fundraiser. TCCMV Foundation assisted in organizing the event at the club.
“We had more than 300 people in attendance that evening,” Mankin says.
Another of Mankin’s outreach efforts has been National City Bank’s United Way Committee.
“It’s nice to be a volunteer because you can pick and choose what you’re going to participate in,” she says.
Anne Partridge is a newer volunteer for The Bunker, but her resume of involvement in central Ohio charities is extensive. The 25-year resident of Dublin lists The Heinzerling Foundation, St. Brigid and Bishop Watterson schools, the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation, CAPA and the Columbus Metropolitan Library as some of the nonprofits she’s helped over the years.
Partridge’s involvement with The Bunker stems from her position as a member of the Ronald McDonald House Board of Trustees. A few years ago, Executive Director Dee Anders invited Partridge to assist with fundraising for the house’s capital campaign.
“Once I walked in that door, I thought it was a really special place and it was managed by a group of extraordinary people,” Partridge says. “After listening to the stories of the parents who have seriously ill children in the hospitals … it really kind of tugged at my heartstrings and reminded me of all the blessings that I have. I found that I wanted to do all I could do to help them with the new expansion.”
Partridge is thrilled that The Bunker has taken on the Ronald McDonald House as its beneficiary this year.
“It’s my goal to raise awareness and educate as many people as I can about the Ronald McDonald House,” she says. “Once someone comes (on a tour), they become a friend of the house forever.”
She’s assisting with advertising The Bunker and recruiting more volunteers to join the team to help clean up and manage the logistics of the event, as well as seeking out event sponsors.
Another volunteer helping market the event is lifelong Dublin resident Rich Weber, treasurer/secretary of the Dublin AM Rotary Club. Marketing committee member Vickie Easterday recruited Weber to assist in advertising, so Weber has been disseminating information to the organizations he’s involved in, including the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.
Weber, a manager for Heartland Bank, is also treasurer of the Dublin Historical Society, a member of the Dublin City Schools Business Advisory Council and a former board member of Leadership Dublin.
“Dublin’s been very good to my family and I like to give back any way I can,” Weber says. “I like being able to work with everybody. There’s a lot of great people in this community.”
Admission to The Bunker is $10 per night. For more information, visit www.tccmv.com/home/bunker.aspx or call 614-764-1714.
Lisa Aurand is editor of Dublin Life Magazine. Feedback welcome laurand@cityscenemediagroup.com.
The Bunker Band Schedule
Wednesday, May 29 The Navigators Thursday, May 30 Bent to the Left Friday, May 31 Reganomics Saturday, June 1 The Menus
