The First Annual Kevin Stevens Celebrity Golf Tournament

September, 2023

An Incredible Success!

On Monday August 7th, 2023, Power Forward, Inc. held its largest fundraiser to date. The First Annual Kevin Stevens Celebrity Golf Tournament, at Indian Pond Country Club, in Kingston, MA.

The event was an undeniable success, filled with incredible guests, like former Boston Mayor, Labor Secretary, and Current executive director of the National Hockey League Players' Association, Marty Walsh!

And local broadcast legend Steve Burton…

…the one and only Tom E. Curran…

…with sports legends like Chris Nilan

…And Ted Johnson.

All made possible by our very own dream team.

Much fun was had…

Some golf was played…

And so so so much good was done.

We could not be more proud to announce that through the incredible generosity of our sponsors and our guests, we raised over $200,000 to fight the stigma of addiction and support two incredible programs: the Power Forward Sober Living Scholarships and D.O.E.R. (Dog Ownership Enhancing Recovery).

This is just the beginning. This will supercharge our work for the next 12 months, allowing us to help countless more people on their journey to recovery. If you missed out this year, we will be back next year. We’ve already locked in the date. Mark your calendars for:

The 2nd Annual Kevin Stevens Celebrity Golf Tournament. Monday August 12th, 2024 Indian Pond Country Club in Kingston, MA

See you there!

For more info, reach out to Kelli@powerforward25.com

And congratulations to our winners! Jack Corbett’s team featuring NHL Hall of Famer, Mark Recchi, narrowly edged out Kevin's team to take home the inaugural trophy.

Kevin Speaking at Merrimack College

No days off for our Captain! Kevin is back at it again this week, speaking at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA, at an event presented by the Center and Office of Wellness Education.

No one is immune from the disease of addiction, but through education, and perseverance, we can Power Forward and push back the stigma of this deadly epidemic.

No one act can defeat this seemingly indomitable adversary on its own. But that does not mean it’s not worth doing. For Kevin, and all of us here at Power Forward, even one life touched, one person’s trajectory altered, makes the effort worth while. No single one of us can do everything, but it’s beholden upon each of us to do what we can.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

At the heart of this epidemic is despair. Not the despair caused by addiction, but the despair that causes addiction. The key to combating despair is empathy. And Barbara Kingsolver’s latest novel, a modern retelling of the Dickens classic David Copperfield, set in rural Appalachia during the height of the opioid epidemic, is a master class in such empathy.

Demon Copperhead takes a hard look at the often insurmountable challenges of poverty in a nation that prides itself on “equality of opportunity.” In doing so, it shines a light on a whole generation of children who lost their youth to the opioid epidemic, and somehow, finds a grain of hope in it.

If you read this book, you won’t be able to help from caring deeply about the novel’s characters, despite all their missteps and mistakes. You will understand them, even if you don’t agree with them. And if you can care about fictional characters, you can care about the real people in the same plight.

Some hold the levers of power and can affect change with the stroke of a pen, others have deep pockets and can make a huge difference merely by cutting a check, but those acts won’t matter at all if we don’t increase the quotient of kindness and understanding in our society as a whole. That is the most important work, the most rewarding work, and the work that anyone and everyone can do.

Empathy is a choice we can, and should, make each and every day. It’s true, no single act of kindness will end this epidemic, but each of us can push ourselves to act with greater empathy every day, and in so doing, lessen the burden of despair on our community, our country, and our world.

It’s sometimes difficult, and rarely convenient, but ultimately, empathy is in our own self interest. It makes us more human, makes us richer, and makes our world a better place to live in. And books like Demon Copperhead make finding that empathy much easier.

If you find this work meaningful, and would like to support the efforts described here, or on our website, please consider donating.

DONATE HERE

Or Mail Checks Checks to:

Power Forward Inc.

3 Webster Square PMB #465

Marshfield MA, 02050

And lastly, if you, or anyone you love, is struggling with addiction, help is out there. You are not alone. Power Forward is fighting every day to defeat addiction through Education, Empowerment, and Innovation. Visit our resources page to learn more.

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