Cary golf tourney slated for July 9 and 10, 2016
CARIBOU, Maine — The Cary Classic Benefit Golf Tournament is set for July 9 and 10 at Caribou Country Club and is being held for the 33rd consecutive year.
Katahdin Trust Company is once again serving as the major tournament sponsor and Mary Harrigan, executive director of the Jefferson Cary Foundation, the beneficiary of the event, said that the support of the bank has helped continue the historic tournament.
“We are so very grateful to Katahdin Trust for their most generous support over the past three years”, said Harrigan who chairs the tournament committee. “Thanks to their support we have been able to maintain this great golf event and keep it as one of the premier golf tournaments in Maine.”
The tourney has raised nearly $150,000 for the foundation since 2005, according to Harrigan.
Pam Scheppele, president of the foundation’s board of directors, said that it takes many sponsors to make the tournament a success and several corporate sponsors have gotten involved to provide financial support.
“We have sponsors that have been with us for more than 30 years,” said Sheppele. “It means so much to the tournament and every dollar counts. We welcome businesses, organizations and individuals to become hole sponsors, prize sponsors, or to contribute in any way they can. This is the major fund raising event for the foundation each year and our sponsors make it all possible.”
For the first time in the history of the tournament, the overall male and female winners will receive $500 Visa gift cards. Last year’s overall champions were Randy Hebert and Betty Deveau.
The tournament features approximately $8,000 in prizes, a $25,000 hole-in-one prize and a chance to win four tickets to the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston.
Peter Doebener, member of the foundation board and the golf tournament committee, said that the quality of prizes has always been a big attraction for the Cary Classic.
“We would love to see someone hit a hole in one and take home the $25,000,” said Doebener, who is former president of the Caribou Country Club board. “It would make great press. But even without the hole-in-one, there are great prizes in four different men’s divisions and two ladies divisions.”
Doebener, who has also played in the Classic, said that the tournament offers golfers a great value beyond the chance to win prizes.
“For their registration fee the golfer gets a free practice round on Friday, 18 holes of golf on Saturday and Sunday, a beautiful golf shirt, a great meal and a chance to play on one of the County’s pristine nine-hole courses,” Doebener said.
“The fact that all the funds raised go to the Jefferson Cary Cancer Center makes it all the better. Who among us doesn’t know someone touched by cancer? This is a very special tournament that has built a tradition over more than three decades,” he added.
The tournament, with a medal play format, features prizes for longest drive and a closest to the pin competition.
Jeff Jose, who has directed the tourney for many years, said that the Caribou course is in great shape and should make for a very exciting and competitive tournament.
“We have been very pleased with the way our course has come along this spring and early summer,” said Jose, a former tournament champion. “We are now tweaking the greens and making other improvements getting ready for the Cary. Our crew takes great pride in the quality of the course and we always look forward to this event.”
Golfers interested in playing the tournament should register by Thursday, July 7 and are asked to mail their entry fee and handicap to the Caribou Country Club, P.O. Box 633, Caribou, ME 04736 or call the club at 493-3933.
Tee-off times are 7:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Registration fee includes free practice round on Friday, July 8. Golfers can visit carymedicalcenter.org for more information or contact the Jefferson Cary Foundation at 493-4849.
