Roberta Hawkins Memorial Golf Tournament set for June 6, register by May 16

Event benefits seniors and other impacted groups affected by physical and/or emotional trauma.

The ABLTC Foundation will hold its Annual Golf Tournament on Monday, June 6, at the Warwick Country Club in Warwick. This event is one of the Foundation’s biggest fundraising drives and draws a receptive crowd.

The outing begins with Registration at 10:30 AM, followed by lunch and a 1:00 PM Shotgun Start. The festivities culminate with a Dinner and Awards Ceremony scheduled for 6:00 PM. Event organizers strongly encourage those who are interested in playing to register sooner than later. There is just 120 spots open for this year’s event, and they will go fast.

This event raises tens of thousands of dollars yearly for ABLTC Foundation to help fund programs and services for the elderly, seniors and other groups who may be dealing with either abuse, neglect or financial exploitation, said ABLTC Foundation General Manager Keri Salinger.

“We receive a lot of support from the local business community and the general public for their continuing push,” said Salinger, who is driving this Tournament. “The event has grown in the years I have been affiliated with the organization. The weather should be nice and make for a fun day of activities.”

Salinger said the work Hawkins did in advocating for the rights of the elderly and other impacted groups still resonates today.

“Roberta was a tireless supporter of the needs and issues affecting seniors in the long term care community” said Salinger. “She worked to champion for their rights and maintain their dignity and get the services needed.”

Roberta Hawkins was the founder and Executive Director of the Alliance for Better Long Term Care, Inc., a not-for-profit private agency dedicated to the mission of improving the quality of life and health care of residents of long term care facilities, assisted living facilities and home health care and hospice patients.

Hawkins led, developed and expanded the agency for three decades. During her tenure, providing advocacy and assistance to consumers of long-term care, their families and their caregivers. In 1989 under her direction, the Alliance was awarded the contract for the RI State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (RISLTCOP) with Hawkins tabbed as the designated State Long Term Care Ombudsman by the RI Department of Elderly Affairs. In that capacity, Alliance staff and trained volunteers advocate for elders and disabled persons in long term care who are victims of abuse, neglect or financial exploitation.

She was a frequent caller and visitor to state agencies and state officials and appeared at countless hearings and meetings to voice her concerns and to advocate for improvements to the quality of care and the quality of life for long term care patients. She promoted and supported legislative and regulatory improvements for health care and was an implacable foe of any attempt to disadvantage people needing long term care.

The ABLTC Foundation’s purpose is to benefit and support the purposes of the Alliance for Better Long Term Care, Inc., a Rhode Island nonprofit corporation, directly or indirectly, through joint ventures, partnerships, or other entities, and to engage in any activities directly or indirectly related. 

Funds raised from this event help the ABLTC Foundation in its mission to aid those who are either abused, neglected and/or exploited. This happens in many forms, and unfortunately, more often than not, goes unreported, Salinger said. The ABLTC Foundation strives to educate the public in the programs, contacts and other ways they offer assistance.

Besides golfing, the community can lend its support for the Foundation in other ways, said Salinger.  Companies are encouraged to either become sponsors (with varying levels and accompanying benefits) or taking out an advertisement in their program (beginning at $100 for a business’s card size ad). Other ways to sponsor the event include: Tee Signs ($195 per sign), a front side or back side cover advertisement in their program ($400 each), The Hole-in-One Car Sponsor ($500) and becoming the Event’s Gold Sponsor that includes three foursomes (12 people, a full-page advertisement in the program and a Tee Sign ($5,000).

For those who would like to join in the festivities but are not golfing, there are slots open for lunch ($35) and dinner ($65).

The ABLTC Foundation would like to thank the following Tournament Committee members: Marcella Almeida, Kelly Arnold, Pam Bibeault, Jen Burns, Christine Crum, Sharon Fusco, John Gage, Bob Giberti, Catia Lestage, Joann Leonard, Marcie Maffeo, Rita Martin, Leon Samuelian, and John Stefanik

Act quickly because space is limited and the event will sell out. The deadline for registering is Monday, May 16.

For more details or to register for the event, please contact Keri Salinger at [email protected]. Registration forms may be downloaded from their website at www.abltcfoundation.org.