Teen suicide prevention program selected as beneficiary

Riverside Trauma Center has been selected to be this year’s charity recipient at the Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce’s 23nd annual  Children’s Charitable golf tournament, Monday Aug. 4 at Woodland Golf Club.

Each year, the Chamber selects a different youth-based non-profit to be the recipient of a portion of the tournament proceeds.  The selection is made by the Newton-Needham Chamber’s all-volunteer Golf Committee, which organizes the annual event.

“The Riverside Trauma Center, a service of Riverside Community Care, has a long established relationship with the citizens and school departments in Newton and Needham,” said Walter F. Tennant, chairman of the golf committee and the Chamber’s treasurer.  “We were especially interested in partnering with them this year in recognition of the tremendous programming it has provided, and continues to provide, to both communities, following a string of teen suicides in Newton last year and in Needham in prior years.”

One of the largest non-profit behavioral healthcare and human service providers in Massachusetts, Riverside Community Care provides more than 40,000 children, adolescents and adults across the Commonwealth, with mental healthcare, specialized youth services, developmental disability and brain injury services, early childhood services, and more.  To learn more about the full range of services provided by Riverside, please visit www.riversidecc.org.  

“We have provided much needed mental health support in the aftermath of traumatic events ranging from the Boston Marathon Bombings to support for the schools and communities after the tragic suicide deaths of young people in both communities,” said Jim McCauley, Associate Director of the Riverside Trauma Center.

“Despite the tragic nature of these events, it has been an honor and a privilege to collaborate with Newton and Needham as they begin to heal from these devastating losses. We have been fortunate to continue our work with both communities after the initial crisis so we can have a voice in longer term prevention activities,” McCauley added.

Chamber President Greg Reibman also announced that The Village Bank has once again partnered with the Chamber as the tournament’s primary sponsor.

“The Village Bank has been an active Chamber sponsor for more than a half-century,” Reibman said. “We are especially grateful to Joe De Vito and his entire team at The Village Bank for all they do for our community. “

The 23nd Annual Children’s Charitable Golf Tournament takes place Monday Aug. 4 at Woodland Golf Club, 1897 Washington Street, Newton. Lunch and registration begins at 11 a.m., 12:30 shotgun. Registration for the tournament is now open, with discounted early bird rates available prior to July 10.   To register or learn about sponsorship opportunities call 617-244-5300 or email info@nnchamber.com