Many described it as the perfect day for golf. The weather was superb as eighteen teams, and more than ninety players, participated in the 34th Annual Glenn T. Packard Golf tournament. Under a bright sun and moderate temperatures for eighteen holes of golf at the Oak Ridge Golf Club, two food stands on the course provided grilled lunches and drinks for the golfers. This was followed by an hour of an open beer and wine bar with hot and cold hors d’oeuvres in the club house, with an opportunity to win a plethora of great raffle prizes, including a 65” TV and three nights at a recently refurbished Airbnb in Tolland, Mass.
For those who do not know, for thirty-four years this golf tournament has honored the memory of Glenn T. Packard, who at the age of 31, was tragically killed in an accident on I-91. Glenn was a National Honor Society student at Suffield High School, where he played three varsity sports: soccer, basketball, and baseball. He was an All-State soccer player and a member of the State Soccer Championship Team from Suffield High in 1978. Following his tragic death, his friends Mark and Karlene Sullivan created a foundation in his name and funded it by starting an annual memorial golf tournament in his honor. The objective of the foundation was to enhance the quality of educational and recreational sports in Suffield. The tournament, now run by the Suffield Rotary Club, continues to honor Glenn and raise money for worthwhile town projects, while providing a venue for old and new friends to come together.
Over the years proceeds from the tournament have funded or contributed to the funding of the Suffield Rotary Hut at Suffield High School (SHS); the Packard Soccer Field at Bruce Park; dugouts and batting cages for baseball and softball teams at SHS; the Bruce Park’s pavilion; athletic field emergency defibrillators throughout the town; the Sunrise Park Playground; new baseball/softball batting cages for Suffield Little League; tennis and basketball courts at the Suffield Recreational complex; playscapes at Spaulding and Bridge Street schools; lights at the SHS track (including lacrosse and soccer fields); the timing system for the SHS track teams; goals for SHS field hockey; scoreboards (soccer at Packard Field, SHS lacrosse, the SHS swim team, the Middle School and McAlister School basketball courts); goals for soccer fields at Bridge Street and Spaulding Schools; bleachers and benches at various athletic fields throughout town, and more.
The tournament traditionally has a 50/50 raffle on hole four, where players who enter (and all did) get a raffle ticket. Those who make it to the green on their first shot then have a chance of being selected for 50% of the contributions. While traditionally the remaining 50% goes to the Rotary to use for the purposes described above, this year it was designated as the Mark Stewart 50/ 50 Raffle. This was to honor Mark Stewart, who passed away in March of this year. A classmate of Glenn’s, Mark played with him on many teams, including the state championship soccer team. Mark earned numerous state championships and was inducted into the Suffield Athletic Hall of Fame. After high school, Mark enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and served while attending the University of Hartford, where he played varsity soccer and majored in mechanical engineering. Mark’s faith guided his life. At Third Baptist Church he was active in the choir and taught Sunday School. For the past 20 years, Mark and his family were active members of First Central Bible Church in Chicopee, where he served as an usher, greeter, Sunday School teacher, and trustee and, ultimately, deacon. Therefore, this year, Rotary’s share of the 50/50 raffle will be donated in his memory to the church Mark served the past twenty years.
Lastly, Rotary wishes to thank all those who contributed as sponsors, whether as “Eagle Sponsors”(Windsor Federal Bank, PeoplesBank, The Muska Family); “The Beverage Cart Sponsors”(Mark Sullivan and Chris Noe); “Cart Sponsor (Heritage Funeral Home); “The 19th Hole Sponsor” (Dowd Realty Group); Major Sponsors (including Ocean Air Transportation) and numerous tee sponsors, whose signs dotted the entire course. We plan to be back next year and hope to see you there.
