Family thanks community for support of benefit tournament

To the Editor:

The Furia family would like to thank all of you all for a wonderful day of golfing, eating, and sharing good times at the John A. Furia Golf Tournament held at The Connecticut National Golf Course on Saturday, Aug. 20.

Special thanks to our very special, dear friends Vinnie and Linda LaFazia and Steve Placella for organizing this amazing tribute to John. A lot of love, thought, time and work were put into this tournament to personalize and honor John. The posters of John were so real, it felt as though John’s eyes were following us around the golf course, and the posters of his sayings (some not so appropriate) were amazing. I could picture John saying these things with his belly jiggling up and down as he had the most amazing belly laugh and would always laugh at his own sayings (not sure which was funnier, him saying these things or him laughing at himself).

John’s favorite foods were served throughout the day. What a tribute to John. Thank you organizing this amazing event and for making John’s dream of having a fundraiser in honor of Olivia come true. Vinnie and Linda do amazing work organizing many different benefits for so many – they are such caring, giving people.

Special thanks to our very generous major sponsors: David Levesque from Brewed Awakenings, Kenneth Castellucci and Tom Colomey from Castellucci Associates, and the DiSandro Family from M. DiSandro & Sons Masonry.

Thank you to all of you wonderful people who purchased tee signs, and all the wonderful people who very generously donated drinks, food, gift cards, raffle prizes, and much more: Ed Bedrosian, Eric Gelsomino, Frank Chiello, Frank Fede, Jessica Countie, Melissa Lafazia, Mike Calise, Sal Gelsomino, Steve Macchioni, Little Rhody Frank’s, and Tri-Town Liquors.

All who graciously helped prepare, cook, bake, and frost cookies: my wonderful granddaughters Lily and Olivia Furia and Lexi Furia, Lexi’s boyfriend Gadge Woodruff and her special friend a Maddie Cotoia, my special friends Cindy Placella, Kathleen Santos, Lucille Lamothe, Mary Ellen Dimartino, and Sheila Beliveau.

All who graciously volunteered their time with registration, working the grills, passing out drinks, selling raffle tickets and much more: my wonderful granddaughter Lexi and special friend Maddie Cotoia, wonderful cousin Arnie and Patti Veccione, Kitty Beagon, my very special sister Lisa Vieira, and special, friends Mary Ellen Dimartino, Sheila Beliveau, Tommy and Jen Mooney and family, Ken Fealla, and Jim Vigeant.

To Jim West and Staff from Connecticut National Golf Club who always go above and beyond to provide excellence service.

And to Pete Fontaine from the Johnston Sun Rise for advertising and covering this amazing tribute to John.

You all made it possible to raise over $10,000 to donate to Boston Children’s Hospital Cardiac Department to help children with heart disease in memory of John and in honor of Olivia. This holds a very special place in our hearts as our Olivia has received and continues to receive amazing care from the doctors and staff at the Boston Children’s Hospital.

Thank you for all your love and support, for sharing good memories and for being in our lives! We are very fortunate to have so many special people in our lives!

The Furia Family