On Monday, July 23 – for the 22nd straight year – a gathering of golfers hit the links to take part in the annual Marymount/Cavaliers Youth Fund Classic, an outing that has raised more than $8 million over the years. The Youth Fund, a fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, supports programs designed to positively impact young people in the areas of education, recreation, employment and life skills.

Among the participants was Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry, who has taken part in the Classic as a player and now as the head of the front office. “One thing we really try to focus our efforts on is children, and specifically at-risk children in Cleveland.”

The Cavaliers Youth Fund – which was renamed to better reflect its mission of helping at-risk youth – also benefits the Foundation Fighting Blindness, which was the original impetus for the outing two decades ago. The FFB – which is dedicated to research in finding a cure for retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration and Usher Syndrome – has raised over $225 million since its inception in 1971 and is particularly meaningful to former Cavaliers owner, Gordon Gund.

“There isn’t a better tournament in Northeast Ohio and I’m not sure if there’s a better one in the country,” said Mr. Gund, who went on to tell the dinner participants how – after a bout with pneumonia – his life was saved as a small boy in 1942 by an experimental drug called penicillin. As successful as he has been, Gund knows the value of a helping hand to a child.

The golf itself was a scramble tournament – known to amateur linksters as “grip-it-and-rip-it” – and the pristine grounds of Westfield Country Club provided the arena for the amateur event. Some of the celebrities who participated in the scramble were former Cavalier greats like Larry Nance, Phil Hubbard, Jim Chones, Craig Ehlo and Bingo Smith. The Browns were well represented with names like Greg Pruitt, Doug Dieken and Reggie Rucker.

Following the actual tournament, there was a silent auction that featured high-end autographed items like a Joe Montana jersey, a Larry Bird basketball and a boxing glove signed by Muhammed Ali. (In-between verbal volleys with Danny Ferry, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert asked why one of Joe Tait’s technicolor sweaters wasn’t part of the silent auction.)

Before dinner began, Tait – the event’s perennial emcee – presided over the live dinner auction that pitted two sides of the room as well as the tall and short of the tournament – with Campy Russell presenting bids from one side of the room and Little John Rinaldi fielding offers from the other side.

After a delicious dinner provided by Outback Steakhouse, Dave Kilarski – President and CEO of Marymount Hospitals – presented the Cavaliers Youth Fund a $500,000 check from Monday’s tournament.

For the 22nd year the Marymount/Cavaliers Classic was a rousing success and whether it’s providing direction for young people or improving the sight of people of all ages, both represent a vision for a brighter future.