Sophie's Squad 5K and golf tournament

For the fifth straight year, a community came together to celebrate and recognize mental health awareness during the Sophie’s Squad 5K run/walk and golf tournament. The day is a signature event for the organization and gives our community and us the chance to gather, have fun, and support a vital cause.

The event has taken place at a few locations over the years. This September, the function took place at the beautiful Majestic Oaks Golf Club in Ham Lake, MN. The new location allowed for the largest participation in the event’s history. Over 450 participated in the 5K while over 250 golfers hit the links.

Sophie’s Squad President Terry Hughes reflected on the day about how the event has grown over the years.

“Our first year, I think we had 40 or so foursomes out there and not a lot of volunteers. We outgrew that and were somewhere else and outgrew that. We needed more spots for all the people who are involved now,” Hughes said. “It’s unbelievable growth from the golf and 5K participants. Unbelievable growth for our volunteers, our board, and for everybody. It’s a wonderful event.”

5K Run/Walk

The early parts of the day are dedicated to the 5K run/walk. While anyone is welcome to participate, many runners are groups from local college, high school, and community sports teams. Schools like Blaine, Holy Family, St. Catherine’s University, and more took part in the 5K to show unity and support for mental health awareness.

After the 5K, runners and walkers were invited to have lunch at the course. During the lunch, guests heard addresses from St. Catherine’s women’s hockey coach Kayla Chilstrom and Ottawa Charge forward Gabbie Hughes.

Hughes and Chilstrom spoke about their mental health journeys and the importance of being open with your own struggles and checking in on others. The message is a crucial one to hear, especially for the youth teams in attendance. Hughes’ and Chilstrom’s remarks were brave and inspirational for all in attendance.

In addition to the run/walk and the lunch, Sophie’s Squad recorded short podcasts throughout the day with several of our ambassadors and notable athletes and figures who attended the event. Keep an eye out for that content soon.

Golf Tournament and Dinner Raises Key Funds

The afternoon is dedicated to a golf tournament and dinner that focuses on raising crucial funds for Sophie’s Squad to continue producing events throughout the year. Before the golfing began, Minnesota Wild anthem singer John DeCausmeaker performed the anthem to kick off the event.

This year, the golf tournament attracted 67 foursomes for a total of 268 golfers. The groups included several notable community leaders. Minnesota Frost players Sidney Morin and Élizabeth Giguère both took part in the event as well, showing the Frost’s commitment to local causes.

Sophie’s Squad Marketing Coordinator Ryan Bahl spoke about the turnout at the event.

“It’s fantastic to see so many people out and supporting us today. Local business leaders, sports teams, and other nonprofits are all here. Mental health awareness is an issue that affects everyone, and it’s inspiring to see everyone come together in service of that.”

After a round of golf on Majestic Oaks’ beautiful course, attendees had dinner at the clubhouse and took part in a silent auction. The auction included several exciting keepsakes and experiences for golfers to bid on.

In addition to the golfing and auction, the dinner also hosted another important discussion, this time led by former NHL player Erik Westrum. Westrum has deep roots in Minnesota sports, having played high school hockey for Apple Valley. He later went on to play collegiately with the University of Minnesota and appeared in games with the Minnesota Wild. Westrum currently coaches at Holy Family.

Building a Foundation

While informative and fun, the 5K and golf tournament are key fundraising opportunities for Sophie’s Squad. Together, Sophie’s Squad and supporters raised over $115,000. That money is vital in continuing Sophie’s Squad’s mission going into the future. The organization is proud to provide educational opportunities and programming and couldn’t do so without the amazing support received during events like the Sophie’s Squad 5K/Golf tournament.

The continued growth of the Sophie’s Squad 5K and golf tournament is a reflection of the community that has built up around the organization’s mission. From the hundreds of runners and golfers to the athletes, coaches, volunteers, businesses and supporters who came together throughout the day, this year’s event showed just how many people are willing to stand up for mental health awareness. The 5th annual event was a tremendous success and will continue to be for years in the future.