One and Dunn

“The fact that we could outfit 150 kids in full lacrosse gear for the next two years instead of driving a new car – that’s why this happened.”  – Colin Dunn

For about 10 minutes after he won a shiny black 2015 BMW 428i convertible in a charity hole-in-one golf contest, Colin Dunn (MBA ’14) pondered what to do.

After all, the car was a serious upgrade to his 2008 Chevy Silverado. And its $25,000 value amounted to a significant percentage of Dunn’s income as a project manager and business developer for Heffron Company, a 93-year-old family owned mechanical contracting business in the Washington, D.C., area.

But then he thought about how playing lacrosse had shaped his character, and about Heffron’s longstanding reputation for giving back to the community. And he thought about Notre Dame. “Notre Dame gave me a shot. And they gave me a vision — it’s all about helping others,” said Dunn.

With wife Laurie’s approval, Dunn donated the entire cash value back to WINNERS Lacrosse, the contest sponsor who works with underserved, inner-city youth in the metropolitan D.C. area. “If something happens in your life and you have the ability to help someone else, take a step back, and don’t think about yourself,” said Dunn.