26th Annual Golf Tournament Raises $79,000 for Hope Enterprises

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Hope Enterprises, which provides services to people with intellectual disabilities in Lycoming, Clinton, Northumberland, Columbia, Montour, Snyder, and Union counties, hosted its 26th Annual Golf Tournament June 14 at White Deer Golf Complex in Montgomery. The tournament, which is part of the Liberty Mutual Insurance Invitational™, raised $79,000. The tournament's presenting sponsor was Evergreen Wealth Solutions and James J. Dinsmore.

"We are proud to continue our support of Hope Enterprises and the Liberty Mutual Invitational™," said Andrew Harris, founder and president of Evergreen Wealth Solutions.  "Hope is not only a top five employer, but an important stakeholder to our community, and our firm is honored to be a part of such a great event."

With 288 golfers and more than 90 local sponsors, the event is the single largest annual fundraiser for Hope. This year, NBA star and Williamsport native Alize Johnson of the Indiana Pacers served as tournament host. His mother, Chanelle Johnson, is director of supported employment at Hope.

The tournament is played on two 18-hole golf courses and carries the weight of two Liberty Mutual Insurance Invitational™ events. The company underwrites the cost of the tournament's $100,000 in gifts and event prizes.

Prizes were awarded to first, second, and third place winners for each of the two courses. In addition, the team of Mike Bastian, Ed Alberts, Sean Howell and Michael Richardson won the tournament's grand prize, which includes an invitation to play in the Liberty Mutual Insurance Invitational™ 2019 National Finals at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina, home of The Ocean Course.

First place winners for the day include the Liberty Mutual Insurance foursome of Rob Lytle, Anita Scott, Liz Martin and Ryan Eck, who won the Vintage course; and the Legal InSites foursome of Ryan Raplee, Jeff Deisher, Harry Pagano and Shawn Cooper, who won the Heritage course.

Launched in 1993 as a local fundraiser to support Hope's mission, the tournament originally was sponsored by the Sycamore Ave. Liberty Mutual office with some sponsorship money donated by the company's national office. Dinsmore, a wealth manager for Evergreen Wealth Solutions who previously worked for Liberty Mutual, personally sponsored the tournament for many years after the Sycamore Ave. office underwent a corporate restructuring. Dinsmore was instrumental in linking the Hope Golf Tournament with the national Liberty Mutual Invitational™ event in 2013.

Last year, the 25th anniversary tournament raised $65,000, with 288 participants and more than 60 sponsors.