HOULTON, Maine — Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 County Open Golf Tournament will return this summer.
The County Open serves as one of the largest fundraisers for the Health Services Foundation, which helps with the purchase of medical equipment at local hospitals and health care centers. It typically draws golfers from throughout Aroostook County for the two-day event.
This year’s event takes place Saturday, Aug. 8, at Houlton Community Golf Course and Sunday, Aug. 9, at VaJoWa Golf Course in Island Falls.
“This year, the County Open Committee recognizes that many are experiencing business concerns that may impact charitable giving and yet sponsorship is more important to us than ever,” wrote Lori Weston, executive director for the Health Services Foundation.
“Supporting excellence in health care and meeting the needs of those in our communities by providing the newest technologies in testing procedures, equipment and program services available, is the mission of the Health Services Foundation,” she said. “New technologies and programs allow cost savings not only for the hospital or clinics but more importantly, it has an immediate economic impact for the people living in our rural area.”
Over the past 30 years, the County Open Charity Golf Tournament has contributed more than $622,000 in support of the HSF mission. Those funds have been crucial in meeting the health care needs of our community members, our families and our neighbors, Weston said.
Last year, the County Open Charity Golf Tournament raised $25,000 for the Health Services Foundation.Those funds helped purchase a new Holter Analysis System for the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department and Q-Stress Testing Equipment for Nuclear Medicine at Houlton Regional Hospital, as well as a new ECG (electrocardiogram) machine for the East Grand Health Clinic.
Each golf course will be responsible for maintaining safety precautions for the participants. Because of those safety issues, the popular dinner gala will not be held.
Instead, on Saturday, Aug. 8, a Reverse Raffle event will be held by a virtual link to WHOU for all ticket holders. Those participants who are at the golf course can join the fun in person for hors d’oeuvres from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. after the tournament players have finished their rounds.
Only 130 tickets will be sold for this event, which will feature Sean Conlogue as the emcee.
“We really had to think outside the box for this charity event this year,” Weston admitted. “We had to cancel the dinner, because we normally would have more than the maximum currently allowed for gatherings.”For information about the County Open, visit http://countyopen.com/.
