Golfers support New Horizons mission at NHR’s 35th Annual Invitational Golf Tournament

Michele Rodriguez and Alison Heady addressing players at the 2018 golf dinner.

More than 100 golfers came together at the Powelton Club on Monday May 7 to support New Horizons in its mission to enable people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live fulfilling lives in their local communities.

During the past 18 months New Horizons has expanded its residential programs to be more “person-centered,” helping some people we support to live more independently in supportive apartments while maintaining congregate settings for people needing additional supports. We also expanded our day programs to meet the individual needs of each person we serve.

Alison Heady, who lives in a New Horizons supportive apartment, shared her experiences in acquiring new independence when she spoke at the golf tournament dinner. In addition to moving from a congregate setting to an apartment she shares with one other person, she recently mastered creating an Uber account and can now travel independently. Alison was joined at the podium by Michele Rodriguez, her DSP, who explained that one of her responsibilities was to enable the people she supports to grow and reach their personal potential. Uber had just become available in the Hudson Valley and she saw it as an opportunity to extend the independence of people living in the apartments.

“I didn’t know how to use Uber myself and so we had to research it together to learn how it could be done,” Michele said. “Busses have numbers, color coding and often require transfers. This was an alternative form of transportation that was less complicated and provided a new opportunity for more independence.”

As with all New Horizons events, many of the people we support volunteered to ensure the golfers had a good time. Quincy Ferguson and Todd Motter monitored the seventeenth hole where players could win a car for getting a hole-in-one. Karen Coburn volunteered to manage the putting contest. Matt Rowlette and Alison each helped manage player contests at separate holes.

Golfers George Burczack, Tom Mulvaney and Charlie Eaton from Relph Benefits lead the golfers, winning first place with a 63 score. Ron Flaherty, Mike Restanzo, Scott McNally and Matt Bannon of the TEG Federal Credit Union won second place with 65. Dan Barry and Michelle Nolan on the AFLAC team took third place with a 67. Chris Healey from Marvin & Co. won the longest drive in men’s competition and Lois Loggia from Bottini came in first for the women’s group.

It was our pleasure to host everyone and we are looking forward to hosting the tournament again next year. Save the date for next year’s golf event. It will be at the Powelton Club on Monday, May 6, 2019. Hope to see you there.