The number 13 was far from unlucky for the 13th annual Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association (RIPCA) Fall Classic Golf Outing, held Monday at the Alpine Country Club in Cranston.
“We raised more money this year than at last year’s event,” said Johnston Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini, who again chaired the scholarship and charity fundraiser. “This was a great day for a great, great cause.”
Last year, the RIPCA was able to present five $2,000 college scholarships to students who want to pursue a career in law enforcement and whose parents are in that field.
“We have supported 25 different charities through the years with money raised at the Fall Golf Classic,” Tamburini added, including Special Olympics Rhode Island, Crossroads RI, Kids, Cops and Christmas, Providence Project Night Vision and the John J. Fogarty Center.
Monday’s outing began with lunch and people purchasing tickets for the highly-successful silent auction, getting hand-rolled cigars and participating in the annual putting competition that featured unique prizes like luxury box use for two Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins home games.
“Each of those events included four tickets at each home game,” Tamburini said. “They were provided by one of our generous sponsors, Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc., that’s located at 89 Cella St. in Johnston. And that meant a total of 16 tickets.”
The putting competition, Tamburini said, raised $1,000, and the 50/50 raffle saw the winner take home $500. All entries in the putting event had a chance to win one of the four luxury-box ticket packages.
The event also included a post-golf cocktail party, replete with raw bar, hors d’oeuvres, prime rib dinner, an awards presentation, and various auctions and raffles.
Lt. Gov. Daniel McKee headed the list of state government officials who played in the 18-hole event, and a number of Johnstonians helped make the tournament a success.
As noted, Tamburini chaired the ambitious golf go-round and was ably assisted by former Johnston Deputy Chief David DeCesare, a Johnston High School Hall of Famer who is now Rhode Island’s high sheriff. Current Deputy Police Chief Daniel O. Parrillo also tested his mettle on the sparkling 18-hole layout.
David Levesque, who owns and operates all Brewed Awakenings franchises, including two in Johnston, presented each of the golfers with a special gift card, and also had a canopy tent set up near the practice putting green where he served hot and iced coffee prior to tee off.
“This is an unusual and awesome golf outing,” Dennis Sampalis, who owns and operates several Dunkin’ Donuts franchises in the state, said while meeting McKee at the bag drop off. “Believe me, this type of treatment isn’t par for the course at other benefit tournaments. This annual event is class personified, and much more.”
The tournament committee, which included Rhode Island Justice Hall of Famers Tamburini and South Kingstown Police Chief Vincent Vespia, included U.S. Marshal Jamie Hainsworth, Chiefs Rusty Serpa, Sid Wordell, Leo Messier, Anthony Silva, Marco Palumbo, and Edward Mello, along with Tom Breckel, Bob Ragosta, Bob O’Neil and Joseph Terino.
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