Golden Kielbasa Veterans Open, State’s Top Veterans Charity Golf Event, Returns for 14th Edition September 27 at Tunxis Country Club

Liberty Bank is Presenting Sponsor for 4th Consecutive Year of Event Benefitting DAV Chapter 8, House of Heroes and More; Local Veterans Sal Sena of Newington and the Late Robert Dornfried of Berlin to be Honored with Tomasso Awards

New Britain, Conn., July 5, 2024 – Now firmly established as the premier veterans charity golf event in Connecticut, the Golden Kielbasa Veterans Open, a Disabled American Veterans, Hardware City Chapter 8 event presented by Liberty Bank, will return for the 14th time on Friday, September 27 at Tunxis Country Club.

The event, which has now raised more than $205,000 for DAV Chapter 8, House of Heroes Connecticut and a variety of other Connecticut veterans causes, expects to attract upwards of 200 or more golfers and raise in the vicinity of $25,000 to support veterans, military members and their families.

This year’s event will be highlighted by presentation at the post-golf dinner of The Angelo Tomasso, Sr. and Angelo Tomasso, Jr. Veteran of Distinction Award. This special DAV Chapter 8-sponsored award, named in honor of two New Britain community icons who not only served their countries admirably but left enviable legacies of community leadership, charitable giving and business achievement, is presented annually to a Central Connecticut veteran or veterans who has/have made a meaningful impact and inspired others through exemplary military service and/or community leadership.

The 2024 Tomasso awardees are Sal Sena of Newington, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served from 1965 to 1969, is a past Commandant of Marine Corps League, Hardware City Detachment 781, a long-time leader in the state’s veterans service community and a member of the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame; and the late Robert Dornfried, Sr., of Berlin, a Korean War Army veteran who served from 1952-1955, earned the Bronze Star, and selflessly served local veterans and the Berlin and Central Connecticut community at large in a wide variety of volunteer leadership capacities for decades. He passed in 2018.

The honorees will be entitled to designate a $1,000 DAV Chapter 8 donation to the local veteran charity of their choice.

The New Britain Herald returns as Media Sponsor of this year’s event.

Golf registration is $175, which includes range, greens fees/cart, premium gift bag, lunch and beverages, prizes and post-golf dinner, silent auction and raffle. Shotgun start is 11 a.m. Dinner-only registration is available for $75. A variety of sponsorships, ranging from $125 for a tee sign to $5,000 for a Diamond Sponsorship, are available. Information and online registration are available at www.davchapter8.org.

Hardware City Chapter 8 is one of 19 Connecticut chapters of more than 1 million member-strong national Disabled American Veterans (DAV). DAV Chapter 8 supports state and national DAV programs at the local level, and its officers and members are active in the local veterans community assisting veterans in need, advocating for veterans rights, representing Connecticut veterans at state and national events, raising funds for veterans programs, and volunteering countless hours on behalf of veterans causes.

House of Heroes Connecticut is a non-profit organization that recognizes, honors and serves military and public safety veterans in need and/or their surviving spouses with one-day, no-cost home repairs. The Connecticut Chapter has honored more than 230 veterans in 68 Connecticut communities and seven additional states. The House of Heroes national organization was founded in Columbus, Georgia in 2000.

Established in 1825, Liberty Bank is the oldest and largest independent mutual bank in the country. With nearly $8.0 billion in assets, Liberty has 56 banking offices across Connecticut and two in Massachusetts. As a full-service financial institution, Liberty offers consumer and commercial banking, cash management, home mortgages, business loans, insurance and investment services. Named ‘Top Workplace’ by the Hartford Courant every year since 2012 and designated a 2021, 2022 and 2023 Best-In-State Bank in Connecticut by Forbes Magazine, Liberty Bank maintains a longstanding commitment to superior personal service and unparalleled community involvement.

For further information about the Golden Kielbasa Veterans Open, visit www.davchapter8.org or contact Tournament Founder and Director Dennis Buden at dennis.buden@davchapter8.org or 860-558-0514.

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Media Contact: Dennis Buden, DAV Hardware City Chapter 8 (860) 558-0514 dennis.buden@davchapter8.org