In 2019, Camille Harvey, Dave Kirby, and Dennis Ceruti put on one of the most successful community fundraising events in the history of the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TD). The three close friends and craft beer lovers from Upton, MA had previously organized brewfests to raise money for local charities and sports teams. However, when Dennis, a father of four in his mid-40s, was diagnosed with ALS in 2018, the group put their efforts into supporting a new, important cause – ending ALS.
Their first ALS beer festival, Brewing a Cure for ALS, was held in the summer of 2019. It sold 500 tickets and raised more than $145,000 for ALS research. However, despite their success, it would be several years before Brewing a Cure for ALS would be able to return. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of a planned second edition. On top of it all, Dennis passed away in May of 2020, after living with ALS for just two years.
But, four years later, Camille and Dave have decided it’s time to bring Brewing a Cure back to honor Dennis’ legacy.
“Camille and I talked earlier this year and just felt it was time to get back and do something again,” says Dave. “If Dennis were still alive, he would 100% be doing whatever he could to support the cause and help others. That was his big thing going back to 2019. He said, ‘I don't want this money for me. I want this money to go to finding a cure’. So, in his memory, we wanted to get this going again.”
Camille and Dave considered simply organizing another beer fest, but also discussed the possibility of a golf tournament. Then, they had an original idea – why not just combine the two? And, thus, the concept of Brewing a Cure Goes Golfing was born.
The event, which takes place Saturday, July 20th, will feature the best of both worlds. Foursomes of golfers will spend the day playing 18 holes at Northbridge, MA’s Shining Rock Golf Club. Along the course and at the clubhouse, 12 local breweries will be pouring beer samples. Among them are several participants in the Ales for ALS™ program, which further support ALS research at ALS TDI, including local favorites Lamplighter, Mighty Squirrel, and True North.
“It's a long day when you're out there at these tournaments,” says Dave. “There's a lot of waiting around. We figured we'd give some people something to do as they're waiting on the golf course.”
While they were excited about exploring the idea of a unique beer festival/golf tournament hybrid, Camille and Dave also knew many in their community were not golfers. To ensure there was something for everyone, they’ve also included an after-party at the same venue, where anyone can buy a separate ticket to join the beer tasting, enjoy live music, and participate in a raffle and live auction.
“We see this as a way to hit different pockets of people,” says Camille. “If we have some people that aren't golfers but they’re like ‘oh, that sounds really fun,’ they can still be part of it. We're excited about that. That's something else unique that we haven't seen before at an event like this.”
The live auction will feature one particularly unique prize. Dennis was a lifelong New England Patriots fan and season ticket holder. He and several childhood friends would attend games together, tailgating in a customized, Pats-themed bus they nicknamed the “Patriot Missile.” Attendees at the event afterparty will be able to bid on a package that includes nine tickets to a Patriots game at Gillette Stadium and transportation there and back aboard the bus.
Dave and Camille, who both met Dennis as adults raising families in Upton, say they’ve been inspired by the willingness of his friends to come together to support the event.
“We’ve made connections with people from different points in Dennis’ life that we probably would never have stayed in touch with,” says Camille. “But when Dave reached out to those guys, they said, 'sure, absolutely. What do you need?' It just shows that it really is a community-driven event.”
While golf foursomes are currently sold out, tickets for the Brewing a Cure Goes Golfing After Party are still available. There are also several sponsorship opportunities for individuals and organizations who want to support the event. For those who can’t attend, they are also accepting donations from people interested in supporting an important cause and honoring Dennis’ legacy.
“Dennis was a very active member in the Mendon/Upton community,” says Camille. “He had a small business. He was a soccer coach. He sat on the board of the soccer association. He was extremely involved. So we didn’t want to just have a fundraiser to raise X amount of dollars. What we're trying to do now is honor Dennis’ memory in a way that he would have wanted, and to do what he would still be doing if he was alive today “
Brewing a Cure Goes Golfing will take place at the Shining Rock Golf Club in Northbridge, MA on July 20th, 2024. For more information, click here.
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