After a fundraiser in the early 1990s raised only $300 in profit, Gabriel Homes took a swing on something different.
Kathleen Connolly, a board member who knew little about golf, led the organizing for the nonprofit’s first-ever charity golf tournament. Her leadership and vision would later get her inducted into the Gabriel Homes Hall of Fame.
Part I showed the humble beginnings of the Gabriel Homes Golf Tournament. Organizers hand-wrote invitations in the basement of a college chapel, and its early success proved the event was here to stay.
In 2026, Gabriel Homes raised a historic $93,000 at the 31st Annual Golf Tournament.
Behind our milestone are three decades of friendships, traditions, and supporters who grew the tournament from its humble beginnings.
3. Growing With the Community
The tournament grew alongside Gabriel Homes and the residents. New sponsors joined longtime ones. Familiar faces filled the fairways with a new generation of golfers. Over time, the tournament outgrew its original home and moved to Evergreen Country Club. Paper registrations became electronic, and emails replaced much of the letter writing.
Growing attendance brought new ways to serve the golfers. Mike Holupka, owner of The Anderson Company and a longtime golfer, joined the board and golf planning committee. His aim: to make the tournament a premier event. Prizes and golfer gifts became more generous, and the evening reception grew into another highlight of the day.
4. The Heart of the Tournament
Despite the changes, the tournament never lost sight of its purpose. The residents have always been as central to the event as the golfers. As volunteers, residents greet golfers on the course and present awards during the reception.
The residents’ impact can be felt from the moment the tournament starts. Tee signs cheering on residents line down the course. Sara’s Challenge, named after a former resident, tests golfers’ luck on par-three courses. Another resident, Dave, has golfed in the tournament for over 25 years.
5. A Legacy of Community
Over three decades, the Gabriel Homes Golf Tournament has raised more funds than ever for high-quality support services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its most lasting impact, however, may be the people behind the tournament and the community that followed.
Friends reconnect. Residents return as volunteers. Sponsors help make independence possible year after year.
Long after the final putt drops, Gabriel Homes’ mission comes to life.
