Photo courtesy of Mitchell’s Place.
Participants of the 2019 Mitchell’s Golf Chili Championship at Greystone Golf and Country Club.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism affects 1 in 54 children, making it the fastest growing development disorder in the United States.
The nonprofit Mitchell’s Place provides comprehensive social, educational and therapeutic services for children and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities.
The goal is to unlock the full potential of children with autism.
In addition, Mitchell’s Place seeks to offer its services at an affordable cost.
To raise money to help continue this work, the organization will host its ninth annual Mitchell’s Golf Chili Championship on the Founders Course at Greystone Golf and Country Club from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Columbus Day, Oct. 12.
The event — an afternoon of food, drinks and fierce competition — will begin with registration and lunch at 11 a.m. The tournament begins with a shotgun start at noon and is followed by dinner.
The Golf Chili Championship typically attracts about 100 golfers, said Macy Vintson, the organization’s director of advancement.
This tournament is unique because it’s “a no-pressure fundraiser,” she said. “The competition is friendly, and you spend a day doing something you love while supporting a great cause.”
The event also allows five golfers per team, unlike a lot of tournaments, Vintson said.
The event is always held on Columbus Day, when the banks and the stock market are closed. This means that some of the business people who participate “have the time and no guilt of enjoying a beautiful day of golf with their friends,” Vintson said.
The fundraiser is especially important to Mitchell’s Place this year.
“Like many nonprofits, Mitchell’s Place has experienced significant financial strains due to COVID-19,” Vintson said. “This fundraiser is the first one we have had since February, and the funds raised will be used to support our programs that desperately need the revenue.”
Mitchell’s Place, located at 4778 Overton Road, was co-founded by Allen Meisler and is named after his son, Mitchell, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3.
The tournament was created by Meisler and board member Jamie Cowin to increase awareness of Mitchell’s Place through a popular activity like golf, Vinston said.
Meisler is an avid golfer, and his son — though he does not particularly enjoy golfing — “loves being on the course, driving the golf carts and eating at the club house,” Vintson said.
Chili was incorporated into the event because it is Mitchell’s favorite food, she said.
Meisler remembers the fall day at Greystone that he learned how much his son loved chili.
“I was heading out to the course, and I could not find Mitchell anywhere,” he said. “The general manager comes up to me and says, ‘Sir, Mitchell is in the dining room eating chili.’
Allen Meisler went into the dining room where the lunch buffet is setup and saw Mitchell, spoon in hand, eating the chili directly out of the 5-gallon pot.
“So I had to buy the entire thing of chili for Mitch,” his father said.
The famous Greystone chili is perfect for the fall and is served at the tournament each year during lunch and dinner. “It has become a player favorite,” Vintson said.
The Golf Chili Championship has raised about $50,000 each year and almost $500,000 since it began, Vintson said.
Single player entries are $400 and include lunch, dinner, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages and a cart.
A sponsorship for a five-member team costs $2,000. All players receive lunch, dinner, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages and the use of golf carts.
To register, call 205-951-9538, email advancement@mitchellsplace.com or go to apps.mitchellsplace.com/donate-now and select “Golf Tournament.”
