Polito tournament raises $20,000 for local charities By Catie Foertsch, Community Reporter August 20, 2004

Region - The third annual Karyn Polito Charity Golf Tournament, held Aug 16. at the Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton, attracted 158 golfers and raised about $20,000 for local charities. At the tournament's dinner, Polito presented preliminary checks for $7,500 each to Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services (SYFS) and the Westborough Food Pantry.

In its three-year history, the tournament has raised nearly $50,000, which has been equally divided between SYFS and the Westborough Food Pantry. Polito said she organizes the tournament cash year "because I feel responsible as a citizen to use the resources available to me to make it better for someone else.”

Although the tournament bears her name, "it's really taken on a life of its own," Polito said. She attributed the event's success to "the people who participate year after year and select this tournament to take part in. They keep giving more and coming back."

Polito had special praise for the volunteers who begin working on the tournament each January. They meet at Central One Federal Credit Union in Shrewsbury, she said, and "they really make this happen." The tournament’s volunteers are Ron Bel1elli,

Dennis Caracciolo, Roland Carlson, Denzil Drewry, Michael Gregory, George

LaMothe, Glenn Parker, Wendy Mickel, Monique Rose, Dick Thomas and Kathy Wilfert.

Central One also provides administrative support for the tournament.

Calling Pleasant Valley "a major attraction to golfers," Polito thanked course owners

Ted and Audrey Mingolla for their help and generosity.

The tournament also raised money through local corporate sponsorships. Six companies each paid $1,000, and five companies - Central One, Dunkin' Donuts of Shrewsbury, E.L. Harvey and Sons, Polito Development, and Wheelabrator Technologies - each paid $3,000.

Wagner BMW and Ragsdale provided cars for hole-in-one and longest drive prizes, and residents and businesses donated 36 gift baskets and eight grand prizes for the tournament’s raffle. The grand prizes included Red Sox and Patriots prize packages (including game tickets), a television set, a BMW bicycle, men's and women's golf clubs, and a Weber grill.