The idea for a charity golf tournament to benefit the Special Education Foundation started a little more than twenty years ago when St. Louis Cardinals play-by-play announcer Dan McLaughlin learned about the many special needs of Caroline Kijowski from her father, Bob. Dan and Bob then worked together at Fox Sports Midwest and continue to work together today at Bally Sports.
Bob shared that his daughter Caroline had multiple disabilities that required so much more than the Special School District could provide.
His moving story of how the Special Education Foundation helped Caroline inspired Dan to take the lead in creating the Dan McLaughlin Golf Tournament that would benefit the Special Education Foundation.
The first 4-man scramble was played at Norwood Hills Country Club in 2003, and this year will not be any different. The 20th anniversary of the golf tournament and auction will take place at Norwood on Monday, October 10, 2022.
Over the past 19 years, the tournament has raised millions of dollars to help countless children receive hearing aids, attend college, participate in summer camps, purchase eyeglasses, obtain assistive devices, and experience arts and other innovative opportunities in and out of the classroom.
Dan’s charity event is the largest fundraiser for the Special Education Foundation as dozens of businesses, hundreds of golfers, and many friends of SEF and SSD join in a day of fun on the golf course and an evening of bidding in the silent and live auctions.