RVCC Golf Tournament to Benefit Supportive Mental-health Services for Children and Teens

HOLYOKE — River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC), a multi-faceted mental-health agency, will hold its sixth annual golf tournament fundraiser on Friday, Sept. 10 at 10:30 a.m. at East Mountain Country Club in Westfield. The event is presented by Action Ambulance Service Inc.

“Funds raised will support the programs that we provide to children and teens in the community, in schools, and through local partnerships,” said Rosemarie Ansel, RVCC’s executive director. “The event is a great time for participants, both on and off the course.”

The cost per golfer is $100 and includes greens fees, a golf cart, a gift bag, lunch, and dinner. Golfers will also be able to participate in course contests and a raffle. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. with a 10:30 a.m. shotgun start. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Visit rvccinc.org/golf for more information and to register or sponsor online.

The Journal of American Medical Association Pediatrics indicated that as many as one in six U.S. children between the ages of 6 and 17 have a treatable mental-health disorder such as depression, anxiety, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Over the past year, RVCC has provided uninterrupted essential services to the most vulnerable children and teens throughout the Pioneer Valley. RVCC has kept offices open safely for those requesting in-person appointments, successfully introduced virtual care and telehealth services, and provided counseling programs and activities to students in RVCC-partnering school districts throughout Hampden and Hampshire counties.

With the addition of Westfield Public Schools this past fall, RVCC now provides 11 school districts with mental-health counseling to students during the school day. RVCC expanded further into the Greater Westfield area with a new outpatient clinic, which opened in April. Recently, RVCC also partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke to provide counseling services to children who are club members.

Support of RVCC’s sixth annual golf tournament, the organization’s premier fundraising event, will directly impact the children, teens, and families who receive RVCC’s compassionate, innovative, and life-changing services.