Mercy Haven’s 15th Annual Golf Outing
It Rained. It Poured. We Played Golf!
Sayville, NY, June 16, 2014 – On June 5TH 2014, Mercy Haven, Inc., of Islip Terrace hosted their 15TH Annual Golf Outing at Island Hills Golf Club of Sayville raising needed funds to further the mission of the agency which provides housing and support services to Long Island’s most at-risk residents.
Mercy Haven’s 15th Annual Golf Outing began with our adventurous and loyal golfers enjoying a hearty breakfast AND lunch before the delayed shotgun start at 1:15 pm. The all-day event hosted 89 golfers plus 60 more dinner guests and raised tens of thousands of dollars which will benefit the supportive programs for Mercy Haven’s residents; those who are homeless or living with mental illness. “Despite the early rain, the outing was a great success,” said Dottie Overton, Mercy Haven’s Board President and Vice President of Empire National Bank. “The fact that so many of our golfers waited out the rain is a real testament to their loyalty to Mercy Haven.”
Golfers had many opportunities for contests on the links, including Hole-In-One chances for a 2014 Ford Mustang or a trip to St. Andrew’s, Scotland. Bud Harrelson, former NY Met and Owner of the LI Ducks, was on-hand again at Hole #5 offering his “Beat Bud – Closest to the Pin” Contest to our golfers. The lucky winner received a luxury suite for 20 to a LI Ducks game. The tournament, which also featured contests for the longest drive and low net foursome, was proudly sponsored by Empire National Bank, longtime supporter of Mercy Haven.
A wonderful cocktail hour and dinner followed and Sister Pat Griffith, Executive Director of Mercy Haven, had a warm greeting for all. She then introduced the evening’s speakers, Michelle and Marguerite, residents of Mercy Haven. Each told a moving story of their lives and their individual struggles with mental illness and homelessness. Michelle, a single mother who had fallen on hard times, reflected on her life of homelessness. Her eventual placement in Mercy Haven’s Supported Housing, ended the cycle by providing a beautiful home for her and her family. Suicidal, homeless and caring for the needs of her mentally ill son, Marguerite describes her years with Mercy Haven as life-changing. Through Mercy Haven’s R.E.A.P. Program, which provides education and work opportunities for residents, she attended many classes which boosted her confidence and allowed her to continue on a path of renewed self-esteem. She exclaimed, “After my experiences with Mercy Haven, I’m going to study social work… I believe I can achieve my goal because I have the gift of beautiful, safe, affordable housing, the support of the Mercy Haven community, advice of my Housing Specialist and the quiet strength of my faith.” A sense of peace and quiet poured over the room as the women expressed their gratitude toward Mercy Haven and all the good work the agency does for those in its care.
Sister Pat extended words of thanks to guests for their continued support and encouragement, and stated, “We are committed to being a place where experience and creative solutions come together to open the door of possibility for those most in need.” Mercy Haven, in its 29th year, continues to grow and plans are in place to develop 2 more mixed housing communities over the next 3-4 years, which will offer permanent housing to 100 people. This task is able to be completed because of the generosity of our donors, which will never be taken for granted. In closing, Sister Pat challenged guests with a simple reflection, “What is the legacy you would like to bequeath to the community of the universe? What wisdom, what quality of life do you wish to pass on to the young? Your response will determine your attitudes, values, priorities, choices and decisions.”
The evening continued with our golfers and guests taking chances on raffle and silent auction prizes, as well as a 50/50 – Split the Pot raffle. New this year was a Live Auction which featured Yankees Tickets, Southward Ho Golfing, LI Ducks Luxury Suite for 20 and a Montauk Get-Away. It was met with great success, as evidenced by the generous spirit of our guests. Paul Conefry, Board Member and Committee Chairmen, thanked the committee for their tireless efforts and presented the trophies to the deserving golfers.
What began as a gray, stormy day, ended with the beautiful sunshine streaming through the windows as warm wishes were exchanged for a successful and productive year. Looking FOREward to next year, Mercy Haven’s 16th Annual Golf Outing!
