Our big fundraising event was held on 17 August 2017.  It was our Annual Golf outing held at the Aberdeen Proving Ground Golf Course where we cleared over $15,000.  This event does not happen without having an incredible team of volunteers.  There were planning meetings held beginning in June 2017 and continuing throughout July and leading up to the event on 17 August (16 June, 30 June, 7 July, 21 July, 4 August, and 11 August).  Clark Dutterer was our chairman again this year and set us up for success with all of his planning and execution efforts.  We are very grateful for all that he did for us in setting up the planning meetings, organizing the outing, coordinating with our sponsors and the golf course, and getting our other volunteers on board.

Our golfers were welcomed at the registration desk by the Maryland Chapter of the Gold Star Mothers.  Ms. Janice Chance and her team have been a part of our chapter for many years and we are very grateful for the time and effort that they put in in supporting us. This wonderful organization continues to do incredible things for the families of the fallen and we more than willing to support them.

We are very grateful for CSM(R) Fred Posadas who continues to support us with his private collection of flags which makes the event all the more special.  Fred is also very active in the community here supporting parades and activities and the local American Legion in Havre de Grace.  Whenever we call, he is there to help us.  With his flags in the background, we kicked the event off with the singing of our National Anthem by Elio Scaccio http://www.elioscaccio.com/) who is a classically trained tenor.  Elio is a great example of American citizens wanting to support the Army and was more than happy to do this for us.

We never forget who our chapter is named after so before hit the course we reminded everyone of who MG Harry Greene was and what he meant to this community and the Army as a whole.  Harry was a bug supporter of the Soldiers, families, and civilians who live and work here at APG.  We will never forget him and all that he did. During one of his trips home on TDY from Afghanistan, he was gracious enough to address our chapter at an impromptu membership meeting that saw over 110 people attending.   Jim Costigan (the chapter president) is a big NY Yankees fan but wears a Boston Red Sox hat once a year…at our outing…in memory and honor of his good friend and our chapter’s name sake as MG Greene was a big Red Sox fan.  Jim also reminded everyone of the importance of being members of AUSA both as individuals and corporate members.  We believe that message is getting through and hope to see it in our growing membership numbers. 

Years ago, we started the tradition at APG of using American flags on each green.  The golf course staff continued to support us this year with the flags and as in the past, went the extra step of providing brackets for the flags to be put on so as to avoid from putting the flags on the ground.  This is a great touch from them and we thanked them. 

We had over 130 golfers participate which was the number we had planned on.  Those playing included active duty, Veterans, and retired Army Soldiers.  Numerous Department of the Army civilians came out and supported the event as well along with civilian and industry members of the community.  The weather was great and we followed it with tremendous food. 

We reached out to some of our Vietnam War Veterans in the community and gave them an opportunity to play as well.  This was just one small way that we could say thank you and welcome home.  They were very grateful and hoped to join us in the coming years. 

As in the past, we had the pleasure of having Christina LeCuyer, a golf professional, to help us raise money for Soldiers suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.  Christina’s website is at http://christinalecuyer.com/ .  More specifically, we raised over $4,000 to support a program at the Ashley Addiction Treatment facility (https://www.ashleytreatment.org/) here in the local area.  She has helped us support this cause for many years and we are pleased to bring her in to help us. 

Of course, none of this is possible without the tremendous support of our corporate supporters.  Here are a few banners showing those that supported us this year.  

This is an incredible community that always answers the call to come out and support our MG Harry Greene, Aberdeen Chapter of the Association of the United States Army.  Through their generosity and support we can provide help and support to the Soldiers, civilians, Veterans, and families of today’s Army living and working in the APG area.  It also enables us to stay connected to the community outside the fence in the Harford, Baltimore, and Cecil County areas.