History2

The 6th annual Kenny Classic brought increases in all positive categories - more players (tournament field of 87 golfers), better scores (20 of 22 teams posted sub-par rounds, including seven teams under 65!), great weather and lots of fun. A new Kenny Classic record was set for low gross in a scramble, as the teams of Jim Wilkinson Sr., Jim Wilkinson Jr., Steve Wilkinson, and Dan Dinoia; and Kevin LaFlamme, Jeff Denault, Joe Whalen, and Tom Lak both posted 59's (see scoreboard)! It had gotten better for the Clara Barton Camp, too - as nearly $6,000 was raised over Kenny Classic's V and VI.

The 7th Annual Kenny Classic (see photos!) took place on July 14, 2000, and was a tremendous success. In what would be the final year of the event at Millbrook Golf Club, the tournament expanded to a field of 98 golfers. Another beautiful day, and the field set new marks of excellence - 23 of the 25 teams shot par or better, with 11 groups finishing sub-65 (see scoreboard)! A new record for low gross was established, with the teams of Joe Kais, Andy Hamilton, Jeff Newton, and Victor Yates; and Jim Wilkinson, Steve Wilkinson, Ryan Blair, and Ray Muise putting up 57's. The highlight of the day was another Kenny Classic first, when Charlie Schnugg recorded a hole-in-one on the par-3 6th! He won a new set of Taylor Made golf clubs for his effort. The generosity of the Kenny Classic supporters set a new standard, too, as the donation to the RJK Memorial Campership Fund was $6,800.

In 2001, the Kenny Classic moved their tournament venue to Westfield Massachusetts, and Tekoa Country Club (see photos). The 8th Annual KC was played on Friday, July 13th, and there was no such thing as bad luck for the event. Another record field of players (128) took to the links on a beautiful summer day, and for the eighth consecutive year, the winning foursome posted a record score (see scoreboard). Mike Johnson, Mike Kuchieski, Dave Marquis, and Vin Melendez claimed their first crown with a 14-under-par 56! In all, 22 teams scored par or better for their round, with eight going 65 or lower! The event also broke records in terms of support for the Classic's RJK Memorial Campership Fund, as $10,100 was raised for the cause that day!

It was a brief stay at Tekoa for the Classic, as the Tradition at Windsor (formerly known as Millbrook CC) welcomed KC IX back to Windsor with open arms on July 12, 2002 (see photos). It was a year of distinction for the event - a perfect weather day (sunny, 80 F), a record field of golfers once again (132), and a new high for funds raised for the RJK endowment ($13,200!). For the first time in KC history, a team successfully defended its title and repeated as champion, as the team of Mike Johnson, Dave Marquis, Vin Melendez, and Bob Wolanske posted a -12 score of 59 (see scoreboard). In all, 25 of the 33 teams shot par or better, with a KC record 15 teams scoring 65 or better! A historic Classic milestone of note from this event came in the record-Low Net score of 47 posted by Karen Conley, Lynn Cunningham, Ruth Kellogg, and Carol Skorulski. It marked the first time in KC history that a women's team won a championship title!

The Tenth Anniversary celebration of the Kenny Classic took place on July 11, 2003, and was truly an event to remember (see photos). The weather threatened but not a single raindrop fell as 132 players enjoyed a great day of golf and fun. The course played tough - only six teams shot 65 or better that day, with 22 of the 33 breaking par at 71 or better (see scoreboard). The team of Dan Akey, Mike Duclos, George Oulundsen and Mike Rawson captured their first title with an eight-under-par 63. Every player in the field received a commemorative golf shirt with the Kenny Classic logo embroidered on the sleeve, and the Kenny Brothers also recognized the eight members of the Classic's Founder's Club (those who had played in all 10 Kenny Classic's): Dan Akey, Tony Gagnon, Joe Kais, Steve Kenny Sr., Steve Kenny Jr., Dave Marquis, Vin Melendez, and Dan Organ) with navy blue windshirts with logo and FC designation on the sleeve. Despite the additional expenses incurred in throwing an appropriate Anniversary Party, the Classic still raised over $12,000 for the Robert J. Kenny Campership Fund.

The 11th rendition of the Classic was a shootout, bringing the most talented field to ever take aim at the KC championship. It was a beautiful day, and the 128-member field was up to the challenge. (see photos) In all, a record 27 of the 32 teams teams scored par or better, with 14 teams posting scores of 65 or better. The best of the field turned in a record-setting round, burning up the course with a 16-under-par 55! (see scoreboard) They had to wait six years, but it was the second KC title for the team of Bob Heath, Bob Kelley, Bill Kenny, and Steve Kenny Sr. The nucleus of this team won the KC V title in 1998. It was the fourth time in the winner's circle for Kelley, who won the Classic twice (1994 and 1996) when it was an individual stroke play tournament. Thankfully they were not needed, but the tournament's gift in 2004 was a navy blue umbrella, embossed with the Kenny Classic logo. It was also a record year for the Clara Barton Camp, as the event raised $14,000 for the RJK Campership Fund!

In its twelfth year of existence, the Kenny Classic had to face an unwanted first - a postponement of the event due to the remnants of an early hurricane. Amazingly, 124 players were able to make the change from July 8th to July 22nd, when the weather was far nicer - warm and sunny (see photos). All participants received a golf wallet, featuring the Kenny Classic logo, stuffed with golf supplies. The tournament field played impressively, with 22 of the 30 teams posting sub-par rounds (see scoreboard). The low gross winner of KC XII was the team representing the Clara Barton Camp! Jim Boudreau, Mark Fuller, Shelley Yeager and Lan Goodwin finished with a 12-under-par 59. A decade earlier, Lan Goodwin was the winner of KC II when it was a single player, stroke play event. The Barton Team made KC history, as it marked the first time ever that the low gross champion team included a woman on its roster! Despite the challenges of hosting the rescheduled event with a slightly smaller field, the Classic faithful's generosity carried the day, as the event raised over $13,000 for the Clara Barton Camp.

Kenny Classic XIII would turn out to be the final one held at The Tradition at Windsor, but the event certainly went out in celebratory style! (see photos) The tournament boasted a 132-member playing field on that hot July 14th, and attacked the par-71 layout with a vengeance! When the dust settled, 28 of the 32 participating foursomes broke par that day! (see scores) The championship team of Dennis Booska, Bob Caouette, K.C. Findley and Bob Provost put up an unheard-of score of 52...nineteen strokes under par! Certainly a score that will hold up in the Kenny Classic record books for some time, the club pro at the Tradition said he thought that could be a course record as well. This year, the participants received a soft sided portable cooler, embossed with the Kenny Classic logo on the side. The 13th KC set one more record of distinction that day, raising an all-time high of $15,300 for the Robert J. Kenny Endowed Campership Fund at Barton Camp!

On Friday, July 27, 2007, 120 golfers filled the field for the 14th annual Classic. It was sunny and hot at Hampden Country Club - the new host site for this prestigious event! The golf course quickly became the story of KC XIV, playing much tougher than the friendly confines of The Tradition at Windsor used to. Despite great playing conditions, only 18 of the 30 groups were able to break par (see scoreboard), as opposed to 28 of 32 teams a year earlier! For only the second time in Classic history, a championship team was able to successfully defend its title, but it certainly wasn't easy. In the end, the foursome of Dennis Booska, Bob Caouette, K.C. Findlay and Bob Provost and the team of Jim Boudreau, Lan Goodwin, Wade White and Shelley Yeager tied for low gross with 62's...but a card match gave the crown to the defending champs from Greenfield. The tournament gift for 2007 was a very nice golf watch, with the Kenny Classic's logo etched in the face. Along with all of the fun that we had (see photos!), a new landmark was reached for Barton Camp, as $16,000 was raised for the RJK Memorial Campership Fund!

The 15th anniversary rendition of the Kenny Classic was a worthy celebration of the fine traditions of this event! On a very warm Friday, June 27th, 128 golfers participated in the event (see photos!), and found the golf course as challenging as it was in Hampden's inaugural year of hosting. In all, 18 of the 32 teams finished under par that day, with five more teams posting even-par rounds of 72 (see scoreboard). History was made on this anniversary year, as the team of Bob Caouette Jr., Bob Caouette Sr., Paul DeNofrio and Bob Provost became the first foursome to three-peat as champions of the Classic. They posted a 13-under-par 59 - the lowest score in the event's history at Hampden CC. The participant gift in this anniversary year was a keepsake embroidered fleece stadium blanket, along with a Make-A-Wish of Vermont cookbook and assorted golf accessories.

In the summer of 2009, the global economic recession was taking a serious toll on charity events like the Kenny Classic. In fact, that summer, every other tournament focused on raising funding for the Barton Center had to be postponed! The 16th Annual Kenny Classic was down a few sponsors and missing a few foursomes, but still took place as scheduled with 104 golfers on June 26th. Like the economy, forecasts of thunderstorms also threatened the event, but the playing field completed the course just before the storms arrived and chased the party indoors! Fifteen of the 26 registered teams shot par or better, with the team of Dan Akey, Andy Noyes, Mike Duclos and George Oulundsen taking the Low Gross title with their -12 60. All participants received gift bags filled with golf and personal accessories. Thanks to the extreme generosity of all involved, the 2009 KC somehow generated $13,300 for Barton!

Since the founding of the Robert J. Kenny Memorial Scholarship Fund in 1997, the Kenny Classic has forged a special relationship with the Clara Barton Center. Each year, the Camp Board is represented with at least one very competitive foursome, with members of the Barton staff (including Executive Director Jonas Goldenberg and members of the Board of Trustees) on hand assisting with the administration of the event, visiting with the participants, sometimes playing in the event, and giving folks an excellent understanding of how important this event is to the Barton and Joslin Camps. We feel very fortunate to have their support and their appreciation for the efforts and extreme generosity of the Kenny Classic participants. We are proud of the work the Clara Barton Center does, and are glad the Kenny Classic plays a role in making their programming more accessible to those kids who need it, but don't have the financial resources to get to Barton and Joslin Camps on their own.

So....after 17 tournaments - from the early days when small, hearty fields of KC golfers endured the monsoons and Sahara-like heat at Cedar Knob, through the steady growth and fun at Millbrook, to the beautiful weather and large turnouts at Tekoa and The Tradition, to our new bright new chapter at Hampden CC - the Kenny Classic has enjoyed phenominal growth. The Robert J. Kenny Memorial Scholarship Fund achieved endowment status in 1999, meaning the RJK Scholarship Fund will forever provide annual scholarships to the Barton and Joslin Camps for a group of young girls and boys who otherwise couldn't afford to attend. In addition, the Fund is also in a position to assist with capital projects when needed. In 2006, the total amount donated by the Kenny Classic's faithful to the RJK Fund surpassed the $100,000 plateau, and with the generosity of the participants, supporters and sponsors of the 2010 KC, that funding has now climbed close to $200,000!

The Kenny Classic is considered a "Dreamcatcher" at Barton, and is honored with a plaque on a camper cabin that the tournament donated funding to, on the headboard of a camper's bed in the cabin, on the "Buddy Bench" outside Camp's Infirmary, and in the Camp's beautiful Chabot Health & Education Center - another project the Classic has helped to support.