North Salem Lions golf outing to benefit Alzheimer's Association

On Monday, Aug. 27, the North Salem Lions will host a golf outing to celebrate their 51st anniversary and raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter, among other charities.

The event will include a four-person best ball, a continental breakfast, a barbecue lunch and a buffet dinner. Awards and raffle prizes will be presented during dinner. Registration for $275 includes a free year’s subscription to Golf Digest.

North Salem Lions President Robert Loeb has been organizing charity golf outings for more than 30 years. He said in his work at Westchester Benefit Group where he is president, he has become familiar with the heartbreaking toll Alzheimer’s takes on those affected.

“We do a lot of long-term care and life insurance and health insurance. So I see a lot of it just from my clients. I’ve seen them go from being perfectly fine to deteriorating, and my stepmother-in-law’s brother died from it,” Loeb said.

“I think it’s a great cause, with technology and money and everything else, hopefully they’ll find a cure,” he added. “It’s just a sad thing when you see people who don’t recognize their loved ones. I have experienced a lot of clients in that capacity.”

He said he expects the affordable price as well as the important cause to draw participants.

“What we do is put on this golf outing at the cost of the outing, which is a day of golf, lunch and our awards dinner and raffles, and we’re only charging $275,” he said, noting that this type of daylong outing would normally much more expensive. He said the event is funded entirely by sponsorships, which makes it possible to charge people less to participate.

“We’re trying to get as much awareness to the charity we sponsor and get a mix of people. We just want to try to fill our outing up,” Loeb said. “All our money comes from sponsorships. We have a lot of insurance companies; we have friends and corporate sponsors.”

Loeb said the North Salem Lions chose the Alzheimer’s Association this year as part of their overall mission of helping local families.

“This year, we chose Alzheimer’s, and we help local families who are in need. That’s a big part of what the Lions do. We do like to choose a national charity like yours because we get contributions for many different areas, and we want to make sure we do something on a national basis.”

The event is part of The Longest Day, a yearlong fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association that culminates on the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, to honor the long days spent by caregivers of people with dementia. Participants are encouraged to do any activity they enjoy to raise money to help support families and fund research to find a cure.

The Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter serves families living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia in seven New York counties, including Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester. Visit the chapter’s website for information on local programs and services at alz.org/hudsonvalley.

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Its mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Its vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. Visit www.alz.org or call 800.272.3900.

If you go

What: North Salem Lions 51st Anniversary & Golf Outing
When: 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27
Where: Salem Golf Club, 18 Bloomer Road, North Salem.
Cost: $275 includes four-person best ball, continental breakfast, a barbecue lunch and a buffet dinner. Registrants receive a free year’s subscription to Golf Digest.
Contact: Robert Loeb at 914.669.9843 or rloebnslion@aol.com for more information.
Web: Visit the Lions webpage for details, to register or to make a donation.