28th Annual Kelser Charity Challenge Raises Funds For Cognitive Health

This year’s 28th Annual Kelser Charity Challenge (KCC) was once again a huge success, raising funds to benefit the Center for Cognitive Health at New Britain-based Hospital for Special Care (HFSC).

The Center specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of memory loss and cognitive decline. The donation was made through the Kelser Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Glastonbury-based managed IT service company.

Held at the Indian Hill Country Club in Newington, the annual golf tournament—Kelser Corporation’s flagship event—has become an eagerly-anticipated tradition for many long-time supporters.

At this year’s event on September 9, 2025, a lively field of 118 players and nearly two dozen volunteers enjoyed a spectacular, late summer day that featured clear blue skies, balmy weather, tasty food and drinks, and good-natured fun.

Staff from both the HFSC and Kelser, sponsors, volunteers, friends, and family continue to make the event special for all involved.

“I couldn't be prouder and more appreciative of the Kelser community today,” Kelser CEO Barry Kelly said of this year’s event. “The combination of clients, suppliers, volunteers, staff, friends, and family made for a great day of golf and fundraising for the HFSC, and specifically, the Center for Cognitive Health. Blessed to be part of it.”

The day’s events featured a luncheon, 18 holes of golf, a silent auction, contests and raffles, and a dinner reception emceed by WDRC-FM radio personality David Fisch. Litchfield Distillery was also on hand, serving up refreshing cocktails and spirits.

A regular highlight of the KCC charitable tournament is a "helicopter ball drop." This event staple showcases dozens of golf balls cascading down from a hovering helicopter to an open field below—enthralling gathered onlookers. The drop was sponsored and executed by former Kelser chief technology officer Jonathan Stone.

To participate, entrants purchased numbered golf balls in advance. Once dropped, the ball closest to the pin wins half the pot with the other half going to the charity bottom line.

This year, the winner netted $967! Another popular draw at the event is the beauty-in-motion swing of long-drive professional Isaiah Joyner of Charity Golf International. Joyner drives the ball an average of 400 yards on a single shot from the first hole.

Although final numbers aren’t yet in, organizers believe total donations raised from this year’s tournament will surpass the $50,000 raised from last year’s event. Over the years, the Kelser Foundation has raised north of $1.25 million for various local charitable causes, including more than $276,000 for the Center for Cognitive Health—KCC’s beneficiary for the past eight years.

Jonathan Woodhouse, Medical Director, Neuropsychology at HFSC, praised Kelser for its continued support of the nonprofit CFCH.

“Your contributions make it possible for us to diagnose and treat the full spectrum of neurodegenerative conditions from the most common—such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia—to the very rare,” Woodhouse said.

He noted that under the current healthcare system, insurance doesn’t always cover the services and support many patients and their families require. “So, this really fills an essential gap that offers a lifeline to patients and their families.”

Added Woodhouse, “The Center for Cognitive Health is really designed to be a one-stop shop for patients and their families where [they] have access to a physician to oversee medication management, occupational therapy to help with activities of daily living, physical therapy to help with balance and movement disorders, speech therapy to help with cognitive rehabilitation, social work to provide psychosocial support, cognitive behavioral therapy, and case management services. So, we're there to wrap around the patient, their family, and provide everything they need.”

Woodhouse said neurodegenerative conditions can be devastating for both the affected individuals as well as their families.

“So often they come on insidiously, subtly, slowly,” he said. “But as time passes, these conditions can affect a person's ability to drive, to work, to feed themselves, to dress. And that process, from being high functioning to severely impaired, is very challenging for family members to navigate and cope with.”

Approximately 7 million Americans are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease alone, and that number is projected to double by the year 2060.

“The difference that you're making cannot be overstated,” said Woodhouse.

Learn more about Kelser Foundation’s charitable activities and find out how to get involved here.

Learn more about the Hospital For Special Care and its Center for Cognitive Health here.