Seth Pack Golf Tourney continues to raise money for special needs programs

12 years ago Hayfield Math Teacher and Activities Director Chris Pack’s son was born with Down Syndrome. 
Ever since then, his family and him have looked for ways to help raise money that support special needs programs. 
For a couple of years they did the Buddy Walk in St. Paul to help support the State Down Syndrome Association, but they ultimately knew they wanted to do more locally. 
Pack explained that they wanted to have more of an impact close to home and see the results of the fundraising efforts used locally, so they decided to start the Seth Pack Golf Tournament in 2011. 
Ever since then it has been nothing short of successful. 
The first tournament, like many fundraisers started off small with 50 golfers and 12 teams. After raising money for the worthy cause, they decided to do it again the following year, and gained even more support from the community. 
Every year since then the tournament has gone up in golfers and attendance, peaking at 160 golfers, and 40 teams last year. Pack said that they are on track to reach or surpass that number again this year. 
But Pack explained that the tournament goes beyond just golf, during the day and leading up to it, they have plenty of ways to raise money for the cause. Since they started the tournament they have raised over $60,000, most of which has gone to families with children with special needs in South East Minnesota. 
“It goes well beyond just golf,” Pack said. “We are able to raise money in many different ways.” 
While the majority of the money has been used to help with programs like ARC, which helps provide programs and services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Olmsted, Rice, Wabasha, and Winona counties, they have also expanded in their giving recently. 
This year, they were able to help provide most of the funding for the state tournament bound Hayfield Adaptive Bowling Team, and provided a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating senior from Hayfield High School. 
Pack explained that it is very fulfilling to be able to help raise money to help kids and families, and that they are overwhelmed with the support from the community and outside the community. 
“It shows that people in small towns are always willing to help out,” Pack said. 
The annual event will be taking place on Aug. 2 at the Oaks Golf Club in Hayfield.