PORTSMOUTH — Kevin Sullivan is a father, a businessman, a multi-sport high school varsity official, and many other things.
But the title he likes most — aside from father — is cancer survivor.
More: Luck O’ The Irish golf tourney at Pease hits $100K milestone in cancer fight
Five months after being declared cancer-free in April 2022, Sullivan launched the inaugural Luck O’ The Irish Jimmy Fund Classic at Pease Golf Course.
Former York Police Department officer Scott Cogger, left, and Hampton’s Kevin Sullivan will be running the fifth annual Luck O’ The Irish Jimmy Fund Classic at Pease Golf Course on Monday, July 20. The sold-out tournament is still looking for hole sponsors, as well as silent auction and raffle items.
Later this month, on Monday, July 20, a course-maximum field of golfers will arrive at Pease Golf Course for the tournament’s fifth annual event.
“It’s just a great way to give back to the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber (Cancer Institute), which played a big role in where I am now and continues to help children fight cancer,” said Sullivan, a Hampton resident and businessman who was diagnosed with paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer in the fall of 2021. “I am glad to be living every day and being on this side of the grass.”
Sullivan raised nearly $17,000 in the tournament’s first year and more than $100,000 over its first four years. He hopes to raise $40,000 this year.
Pierre Bouchard carefully lines up a putt at last year’s Luck O’ the Irish Jimmy Fund Classic at Pease Golf Course.
“It’s a lofty goal, but we exceeded our goal ($30,000) last year, so it can happen,” Sullivan said.
Proceeds from this year’s tournament will go to the general Dana-Farber Jimmy Fund account to support the fight against childhood cancer.
“I saw a lot of (children at Dana-Farber) every day for the seven or eight weeks I was there,” Sullivan said. “You see a lot while you’re there. You see people who really need help.”
Reuniting with friends, creating new friendships
Julia Bouchard follows her shot during last July’s Luck O’ the Irish Jimmy Fund Classic at Pease Golf Course.
Sullivan, who undergoes cancer scans every six months, has met many people through the tournament, including fellow cancer survivors. It is a day he looks forward to each summer.
“(The tournament) is a great day for me,” Sullivan said. “I see a lot of old friends and a lot of close friends who helped me through the whole fight.”
One of those friends is Scott Cogger, the retired York Police officer who was diagnosed with thymic carcinoma — a rare cancer of the thymus gland — in early 2022.
Cogger, who was declared cancer-free in July 2022, played in the tournament’s first three years and helped expand the event last year.
“The more money we can raise for Dana-Farber, the better,” Cogger said. “Kevin and I are just trying to pay it back to Dana-Farber. They saved us, and now we can help save others. Hopefully, Dana-Farber will continue to make strides with all the money that’s raised through these golf tournaments nationwide.”
Kerry Whitten, who officiates New Hampshire high school basketball with Sullivan, said officials across the state are “pretty tight,” and many attended this tournament over the years in support of one of theirs.
“And of course Kevin’s story and why he started this tournament is pretty awesome,” said Whitten, whose team won the four-person scramble last year. “You feel good about giving back and raising money, so good guys like Kevin are survivors.”
Chris Snow, president of Eastern States Packaging in Hampton, has been a longtime friend of Sullivan. His team tied for third place in last year’s tournament. Eastern States Packaging is a hole sponsor again this year, and Snow’s foursome will be in the field.
“Having played in a large number of these charity events over the years, Kevin and his team do everything right from start to finish,” Snow said.
How to help
The maximum field of 124 golfers was reached in January, with most of last year’s teams returning. However, the tournament is still accepting hole sponsors ($250), silent auction items and raffle prizes.
“Businesses that become hole sponsors would be supporting a great cause,” Sullivan said. “Their logo will be displayed on a tee box and seen by 128 golfers over the course of four hours.”
Cogger said the tournament has already received donations from many Seacoast businesses, including gift cards that will be used as raffle prizes. He said he prefers receiving multiple $25 gift cards rather than a single $100 gift card.
“The multiple gift cards make more people happy,” Cogger said. “That gets more people into the stores and hopefully spending more money, so the businesses are paid back.”
For more information on how to sponsor a hole, or provide silent auction and raffle items, visit 5th Annual Luck o’ the Irish Jimmy Fund Classic or contact Cogger at (207) 752-0643.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seacoast cancer survivors bring Jimmy Fund Classic to Pease Golf Course
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