October 19, 2017

Annual Brightside Golf Classic raises $110,000

REGIONAL
Staff report

Pictured are (front row, left to right) Brightside’s Maria Zygmont, Mark Paglia, and Madeline Johnson; and (back row, left to right) Mercy Medical Center president Mark Fulco; Jean Wainwright and John Kendzierski of Professional Drywall Construction; Florence Bank’s Hank Downey, Allison Gearing-Kalill, Mercy’s vice president of fund development; and Dr. Robert Roose, vice president of Mercy Behavioral Health Care.

SPRINGFIELD – One hundred and fifty golfers hit the links for the 37th annual Brightside Golf Classic on Oct. 16. 

The tournament, at Springfield Country Club in West Springfield, raised $110,000 to help continue the important work of Brightside for Families and Children as a non-profit child welfare and family support organization for at-risk children, adolescents and their families.    

“Since its founding as an orphanage in 1881, Brightside has strived to meet the needs of the region’s most vulnerable children and adolescents. And while those needs have changed considerably over the years, Brightside has adapted by restructuring its programs and services in order to continue to provide assistance to children in need of behavioral health care,” said Mark Fulco, president of Mercy Medical Center and its affiliates.

The funds raised through this year’s Golf Classic will help support Brightside’s efforts to assist children, adolescents and families in need through family outreach and stabilization, psychiatric and medication evaluation and management, special education, and therapeutic mentoring.

Serving as chairs of the Golf Committee were Hank Downey, vice president of Commercial Lending, Florence Bank; John Kendzierski, president, Professional Drywall Construction, Inc.; Matthew Sosik, president and chief executive officer, Easthampton Savings Bank; and William Wagner, chief business development officer, Westfield Bank.

Kendzierski also was presented with the 2017 James P. Corridan Memorial Award for his exemplary commitment to Brightside’s mission to serve and support children and families in need. The Corridan Award is presented each year in memory of James Corridan, who worked with community leaders to build awareness about the important work done at Brightside and was instrumental in establishing and organizing the annual golf tournament.

Platinum sponsors for the Brightside Golf Classic were BMC Health Net Plan, Chicopee Savings Bank Foundation, Easthampton Savings Bank, Westfield Bank, and Anchor Electric Motor, LLC/W.F. Johnson & Son Electric Co., Inc.

“The support of our sponsors and participants in the annual Brightside Golf Classic is essential to our ability to continue to bring hope and healing through the programs and services of Brightside for Families and Children, and we are tremendously grateful for their generosity,” said Allison Gearing-Kalill, vice president of fund development at Mercy Medical Center.

More information, results, and links to photos, can be found at www.mercycares.com/brightside-golf-classic. Photos also have been posted to the Brightside Facebook page.