Event Details

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After a round of golf at Portland Golf course in the summer of 2000, Beau Doherty, President of Special Olympics, Al Pollock and Nick Foligno of Northeast Utilities were enjoying lunch when the topic of holding a Special Olympics Connecticut (SOCT) golf tournament came up.  This started the planning for a fundraising event in support of SOCT that has grown into the weekend event hosted by NU and Foxwoods.

That first Golf Tournament was held in 2001 at the Portland Golf Course and it raised $12,000 for SOCT.  In those first few years, interest was obviously keen while it consistently turned in a profit ranging from $10-20,000. Soon, the Tournament outgrew the Portland facility and NU joined forces with Foxwoods. The event was moved to the new Lake of Isles Golf Course in Stonington. With two five star rated golf courses, it allowed the Tournament to take a big step forward to a top quality Event for SOCT and after one year, both courses were sold out and have been sold out for the past 6 years.

In 2007, the Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament hosted by Susan Saint James was added completing a weekend of events that raise money to support Special Olympics Connecticut athletes. To date, this Event has raised $500,000.

This year marks the 10^th Anniversary for the Tournament.  Special Olympics Connecticut, CL&P of Northeast Utilities, and Foxwoods would like to thank all who have supported this event over the years and helped it grow from an idea over lunch, to the gold medal event it has become.