Sweetser News & Events

Sweetser Golf Tournament Raises $48,000 for Barn Rebuilding Effort

Posted on 07/05/2005 at 09:22 am

(PORTLAND) The 16th Annual Sweetser/Prime Motor Group Golf Classic, featuring Golf Pro Donna Caponi, raised nearly $48,000 for Sweetser. The money will help the organization in their efforts to rebuild an educational farm complex that was destroyed by fire in June of 2004. The tournament took place Monday, June 27, at the Sable Oaks Golf Club in South Portland.

Donna Caponi is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame with 24 LPGA championships, including four majors (U.S. Women's Open, 1969 and 1970; LPGA Championship, 1979 and 1981). She is currently an analyst for The Golf Channel. Caponi conducted a golf clinic and autographed balls and photos.

Tournament results were as follows:

The farm complex at Sweetser's campus in Saco was destroyed by fire on June 11, 2004. The barn, tractors and all farm equipment were lost in the blaze and a nearby carriage house and a farmhouse suffered extensive damage.

The Farm is part of the Sweetser's Experiential Learning Program (EXL). This is a hands-on learning program for students attending The School at Sweetser who have difficulty in traditional academic settings. In addition to farm life science, other components of the EXL program include wood technology, automotive, green house and culinary arts.

The Sweetser campus in Saco includes several residential facilities for children and adolescents (ages 6 to 18) who require comprehensive and individualized support. Most of these students attend The School at Sweetser where specialized educational services are offered to address emotional and behavioral disorders, mental illness or developmental disorders. There are more than 140 students at The School, which also includes numerous students from other Maine towns and communities.

With a history dating back to 1828, Sweetser is Maine's most comprehensive behavioral and mental health organization dedicated to serving children, adults and families. Sweetser offers services that address emotional disturbances, mental illness, behavioral disorders and learning disabilities through an array of educational programs, community-support services and residential homes.

Contact: Heather Chandler, Assistant Director of Communications, 294-4430