Golf, Tennis Tourneys Raise Over $81,000 for Scholarship Fund

COOPERSTOWN—Tennis enthusiasts, golfers, and friends of Pathfinder Village gathered on Monday, September 9 at the Pathfinder Village Tennis Classic and the Pathfinder Village-Baseball Hall of Fame Golf Invitational. Culminating with an awards banquet at The Otesaga Resort Hotel, the two benefits raised more than $81,000.00 for residential and student scholarships for people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities.

“It’s an honor to be part of this decades-long tradition that celebrates two sports and two world-class non-profits, Pathfinder Village and the National Baseball Hall of Fame,” said Pathfinder’s Chief Executive Officer Karen Knavel, who joined the Edmeston-based community in January. “In planning these events, I was taken by our volunteers’ enthusiasm and dedication. It is amazing these events have been so successful—42 years for golf and 15 years for tennis. We are grateful for your faith in our mission, and I’m grateful to be joining in that work.”

The banquet included recognition of The Clark Estates and The Otesaga Resort Hotel, which have been major sponsors over the golf tournament’s four decades. NBT Bank and Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast were recognized for their 25th year as the golf event’s Presenting Sponsor and Corporate Sponsor, respectively.

Longtime sponsors, the Hanft and Sokolik families, Strategic Financial Services, the Dairy Farmers of America, and the Cooperstown Country Club were recognized for their key support for the Tennis Classic, now in its 15th year.

Another event highlight was a presentation by Clare Langley and Theresa Mohan, sisters of Village scholarship recipient Frank Stohlman. The sisters spoke of how their youngest brother brought joy to their extended family and how he became more independent through Pathfinder’s community-based services. They addressed the memory challenges that Frank faces as an older person but added that he is aging with dignity through the support he receives from Pathfinder’s direct support professionals.

“Anyone who knows Frank knows his fascination with calendars. If you look at September 9th, you will see it highlighted with ‘First day at Pathfinder, 1991’,” said Langley. “I initially hated the idea of his going away… Soon after his move, I saw that Frank was more than okay at Pathfinder—he thrives. And now, our family thanks our parents for making this difficult decision so long ago.”

National Baseball Hall of Fame Ambassador and Class of 2023 Inductee Fred McGriff spent the afternoon finishing the 18th hole with the invitational’s golfers. During the banquet, he was interviewed by Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch and recalled formative moments in his career as well as learning about his election to the Hall in 2023. He also shared his impressions from his weekend visit to Pathfinder Village, where he enjoyed a tour and a pick-up game of kickball.

Tournament Chairs—Community Volunteers Pat and Bob Hanft of Cooperstown and Leatherstocking Golf Course Host Pro Tim Quirk—announced tournament winners and the proceeds from the day’s competitions.

The 15th annual Tennis Classic at the Har-Tru Courts of the Cooperstown Country Club featured a full roster of 32 players organized in two flights, and followed a modified round-robin, mixed doubles format. Flight A winners were Dave Lemire and John Ryland, who defeated Chris Hulse and Tracy Roberts, 8-0. Flight B winners were Susanna Hager and Georgia Frevele, who held off Leslie Friedman and Michael Stehman in a tiebreak, 9-8 (7-4). Since 2010, this social and competitive amateur tournament has raised more than $300,000.00 for Pathfinder Village scholarships.

The Golf Invitational was won by the NYCM Insurance team of Daniel and Jeremy Robinson, Michael Perrino and Jon Young, who were paired with Pro Zach Vinal of the Teugega Country Club, Rome, NY (120, -24). In all, 100 amateurs and 25 regional pros played in Monday’s round. Other Golf Invitational results included: Second Place Team (121, -23) Erin Quirk, Lin Vincent, Denny Mirabito, Matt Curtis, Pro Bob Meheran; Third—the NFP Team of Michael Hutcherson, Marc Tauber, Mark Grygiel, John Axtel, Pro Josh Hillman; Fourth—the NBT Bank team of Dave and Ray Thelman, Tim Wilson, and Mark DeTomaso, with Pro Trey Walewski; Fifth—the Green Mountain Boys team of Jim Kaat, Drew Morrison, and John and Jake Alexapology, with Pro Tom Mackey.

Dan Robinson and Bob Snyder won the Closest to the Pin contests on holes 12 and 17. Professional Skins Game winners included Bob Meheran (birdie on #1), Jeff Schaller (eagle on #11), Tom Mattice (birdie on #10), Zach Vinal (eagle on #18), Todd Manderson (eagle on #4), and Tom Mackey (birdie on #9).

For more information about the Golf Invitational or the Tennis Classic, contact the Development Staff at Pathfinder Village at (607) 965-8377, extension 116. To learn more about Pathfinder Village, visit pathfindervillage.org.