It was all smiles at the Innsbrook Country Club golf course on Monday, September 23 as Methodist Hospitals Foundation celebrated the morning with many supporters at its 13th annual golf outing.
Gary Miller, event co-chair, always looks forward to this annual tradition.
“We put on this event every year,” Miller said. “It’s one of my favorite days every year and a fun experience for everybody. We always try to pick a particular area of the hospital that we dedicate our funds toward with this event.”
Matthew Doyle, President and CEO of Methodist Hospitals, shares how this golf outing will help support the organization in a variety of ways.
“It’s a great way for everybody to bond, spend the day together, have fun, and raise money for some great causes,” Doyle said. “This is all for our Methodist Hospitals Foundation. Today’s event will be raising money for the Sexual Trauma and Recovery (STAR) Center unit that we have at Methodist Hospitals. It’s much needed within our community, so we’re excited about providing the best service that we can.”
While the STAR Center is the main focus of this year’s golf outing, Methodist Hospitals is always looking to raise funds and awareness for its programs. Judy Lindsey, executive director of Methodist Hospitals Foundation, values what these services provide in creating a stronger community.
“It's events like this that allow us to raise money and take care of all individuals who come to us in need,” Lindsey said. “We also want to address some of the social determinants that impact community’s health. We have programs such as the Methodist Nutrition Station - our food pantry, the STAR Center, and the perinatal nurse navigator program for moms and new babies. Funds raised by Foundation events give us flexibility to help support these programs in addition to our day-to-day inpatient and outpatient services.”
Providing an outlet to connect and donate in a fun atmosphere was one of the biggest motivations to create the event originally. Heather McCarthy, President of the Methodist Hospitals Foundation, cherishes having opportunities like this outside the workplace for people to support and learn more about the organization.
“Being a safety net hospital is very important for us,” McCarthy said. “We’re the only hospital in the city of Gary, and we’re always trying to provide a lot of supportive services. These events are critical for us because the contributions we receive go a long way to help this community stay healthy.”
This event has been successful for 13 years and counting not only because of a supportive community but also because of the assistance of vendors and sponsors. Niall McShane, event co-chair, has a strong sense of gratitude for the people who help out Methodist Hospitals behind the scenes.
“Having been in a family business for many years, you develop a great relationship with the vendors and partners that you work with,” McShane said. “The volunteers put in a lot of hours to make this event work and we couldn’t be more appreciative of them.”
One of the best parts of this golf outing is that it continues to grow every year. According to Doyle, this year featured 160 golfers. It always puts him in a good mood to see so many people come out to support Methodist Hospitals while doing something everybody can enjoy.
“I think it’s great to have a chance to see everybody in the same space again,” Doyle said. “The smiles are the best part of the day, regardless of who wins and loses. It’s more about the event itself and what we’re here to do. This might be the only event of ours that some people come to each year, so I really look forward to it.”
The course featured plenty of unique events. On the first hole, golfers had the opportunity to use a ball launcher instead of a normal tee shot. The course also included a longest drive contest, putting contest, and a closest to the pin contest. The winners were announced at the festive awards dinner at the end of the golfers’ day on the course.
For more information on Methodist Hospitals, you can visit their website.