Richcroft’s 26th Annual Pie in the Sky Pepperoni Open Success

Nothing brings out the team spirit in people more than good food, a great cause, and of course, sports! That’s why Squire’s 26th annual Pie in the Sky Pepperoni Open — a golf tournament hosted by Squire’s Italian Restaurant — was such a success. The foggy gray skies in the morning gave way to a sunny, beautiful day on the shores of Rocky Point – the perfect environment for more than 80 golfers to try their luck on the green.

Many folks turned out to play, including board members, staff members, program participants, and families of those we support. One of our newest board members, Joe Kelleman, participated with a foursome of friends and family, and another of our teams included Scott G., a participant in our Personal Supports Program and Special Olympics golfer! Rounding out Scott’s team was Richcroft’s CFO Mike Hargest, his son, Harrison, and a friend, Patrick. 

Members of the Richcroft community participated in just about every possible way, including taking home first and third place in the competition! First place went deservedly to the team of Austin Kozel and James, Chris, and David Hudak — all family members of a supported individual here at Richcroft. Third place went to Richcroft Foundation Board Members Dave Baker and Rob Starr, along with their teammates Brian Hoppenstein and Scott Polyoka. Participant Kristina C. and her staff Dora provided greeter and cheer support. Throughout the day, everyone spoke of the collective camaraderie and how much they enjoyed themselves in the company of friends, colleagues, and loved ones. 

And there was no better way to share that convivial spirit than sharing a delicious meal afterward, presented by Baltimore’s own Squires Italian Restaurant. Founded in 1920, Squire’s is a long-standing Baltimore institution that was one of the first restaurants to introduce pizza to Baltimore residents. And speaking of longevity, not only has Squires been owned and operated by three generations of the Romiti family for 70 years, but like Richcroft, the staff at Squire’s have also been working there for many years and sometimes even decades! Their catering manager/partner, Richard Bell, who has planned and organized the golf tournament for 26 years, has been there since 1963 — almost 60 years! A true example of Squire’s culture of service and care that extends to those who work for them, as well as for those they serve. 

We couldn’t be more grateful to Squire’s for naming us as one of their beneficiaries and sharing their generosity with us in support of our mission. We would also like to thank E-Training and Tracking Solutions, The Glowacki Family, and First Financial Federal Credit Union, along with all the other sponsors, players, and raffle ticket buyers! We deeply appreciate your generosity and unwavering support of our mission.

We are already busy planning our next fundraiser for Spring 2023! With a little over 9 months to plan, we are currently recruiting committee members and volunteers! If you would like to get more involved, please consider volunteering to support our efforts by serving on our event committee! To learn more please reach out to Lisa Knauff, Director of Development at LisaK@Richcroft.org!