The inspiration for a charity golf tournament to help students served by the Special School District of St. Louis County dates back nearly 25 years.

Dan McLaughlin, who was early in tenure as the St. Louis Cardinals television play-by-play announcer, was sitting alongside Bob Kijowski, then a Fox Sports Midwest colleague, as they were driving around town making sales calls.

Dan was fighting to hold back tears as Bob shared the story of how his young daughter, Caroline, required services for a disability that the family feared would be out of reach for them from a financial standpoint.

For Dan, this was a reality that he refused to accept, and one he boldly believed he could change.

In an article published in 2016 on MLB.com, Dan shared his passion for caring about kids who were less fortunate than he was, saying, 

"Ever since I was little, I've always had a real soft spot for kids who have a disability. That's especially true now as a parent of four, but even before I had kids, I always felt I was really lucky. I'm healthy. I wanted to do something."

And so McLaughlin showed up at the door of the Special Education Foundation (SEF), not to ask how he could help, but to inform them of what he had already decided he would do. It would be a golf tournament, McLaughlin explained. He would plan it. He would secure the sponsors. And he would use his platform to promote the charity event.

His only request was that every dollar raised through the event be directed back to support children who received services from the Special School District, which aligned exactly with SEF's mission.

The Foundation agreed, and McLaughlin fulfilled his promise.

Over the past 23 years, on the second Monday in October, the Annual Dan McLaughlin Charity Golf Tournament and Auction has been held at Norwood Hills Country Club.

The event is SEF’s largest fundraiser and, over its history, has raised more than $5.3 million to support students with disabilities in St. Louis County.

Several of the students who benefit from the donations are present at the golf tournament, as are numerous educators, administrators, and staff from SSD. Their presence puts a face to the greater mission.

In the 2016 article, Dan said, 

"I think I learned this from watching Jack Buck, but I always said if I can get in a position where I have a little notoriety and can maybe get in doors that you normally couldn't get in, that I wanted to do something to make a difference."

Sign Up for This Year's Tournament

What he didn’t know when he started the tournament was that it would grow to the level it has, with almost 300 golfers participating and raising well over $300,000 annually.

This year’s tournament is on Monday, October 12th, and the team at SEF, which includes a volunteer planning committee of nearly 30 people, is spending many hours reaching out to sponsors and golfers, and talking to businesses about donating items for the silent and live auctions that help fund so many of SEF’s programs that positively impact thousands of students each year.

One of the amazing facts from this event is that many of the sponsors have been with the Tournament from the very beginning, including our own St. Louis Cardinals, who are one of the most generous sponsors and donate several of the items and experiences auctioned off during the live auction that takes place when the players return to the clubhouse after their round of golf.

Dan often says he gets more out of his volunteer efforts than those on the receiving end of the funds raised by the tournament, as he frequently hears stories from parents whose children's lives were changed by his efforts.

"It sounds self-serving, but you are making a difference with something. You're helping people who often don't really have a voice or someone who can help. These kids are so sweet, and if this can give them a better chance at life or some confidence, then it's all worth it. It's a ton of work, but it's worth it."

To register to become a sponsor or to sign up a foursome for this year’s tournament, visit SEF’s website. And we’ll see you on the links in October!