The noble Thoroughbreds who have raced at Suffolk Downs deserve a second chance for a second career once their racing days are completed. Dedicated to finding them new homes and new opportunities, the horsemen are hosting a golf tournament to benefit the retirement, re-training, and re-homing of these equine athletes.
The 6th Annual Charity Golf Tournament and Day at the Country Club, presented by the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association and the New England Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association (NEHBPA), will be held on Thursday, Aug. 21 at the Glen Ellen Country Club in Millis. The shotgun format for the golf tournament begins at noon.
Golfers may participate for $125 per person or $500 per foursome and the package includes tee gifts for all players, water, snacks and a buffet dinner and raffles. Non-golfers may attend the dinner and enjoy tennis, miniature golf, softball, bocce, horseshoes, and the swimming pool for $35 for adults and $20 for children aged 7-12. There is no charge for children 6 and younger.
Individual hole sponsorships are available for $100 and include dinner and all activities for the sponsor. Raffle items and charitable donations are being accepted gratefully.
Tickets for raffle items will be on sale at the event and at Suffolk Downs, beginning Saturday, July 9. Items currently include an original oil painting of 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome by artist Tammy Ricker, a $200 gift certificate to Best Buy, area restaurant gift certificates, dance lessons from the Agnes Strecker Studio, and much more.
All proceeds will be used for the benefit of retired racehorses.
The deadline for registration is Aug. 12 and forms are available at the NEHBPA office at Suffolk Downs. The registration form may be downloaded from www.massbreds.com. Reservations may also be made by calling Eileen Aviza at Glen Ellen Country Club at 508-376-2978 x 206.
For more information, contact the NEHBPA at 617-568-3333.
The minimum wage bill passed
With Governor Deval Patrick signing legislation raising the minimum wage to $11 an hour by 2017, Raise Up Massachusetts announced that it will withdraw its ballot question that would raise the minimum wage.
The minimum wage bill, which received final approval from the Legislature last Thursday, would give Massachusetts the highest minimum wage in the country and help more than 600,000 families.
“Increasing the minimum wage by 38 percent, as well as giving tipped workers a raise from $2.63 to $3.75 an hour plus tips, will help struggling families who deserve to be able to make a living in Massachusetts,†said Raise Up Massachusetts Co-Chair Lew Finfer. “The grassroots effort of thousands of volunteers who collected signatures to qualify our ballot question made this victory possible, and our ballot question will no longer need to appear on the November ballot.â€
Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of more than 100 community, labor and faith organizations collected a combined 285,000 signatures last year in a 10-week grassroots effort made possible with the support and leadership of thousands of unpaid volunteers across the Commonwealth.
