WATERVILLE — In any given year, Waterville police help raise money for those less fortunate, help mentor children and take part in neighborhood activities.

They wait on tables at Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar as part of Tip A Cop, donating the tips they receive to Special Olympics. They take part in a taco eating contest for that organization, attend a celebrity dinner to benefit victims of sexual assault, do neighborhood cleanups and help with National Night Out in the city’s South End.

High Hopes Clubhouse, on College Avenue in Waterville, will be the beneficiary of a golf tournament hosted by the Waterville Police Department. The organization helps people with mental illness get jobs. Contributed photo

“I think it’s important that we get involved in community events in a number of ways,” police Chief Joseph Massey said this week. “It shows that the police are really involved. It’s more than just a job. A lot of these guys work nights and are willing to get up very early and go to participate in some of these charity events with not much sleep.”

In that vein, police on Monday, Columbus Day, will host a charity golf tournament at the Waterville Country Club to benefit High Hopes Clubhouse. The clubhouse on College Avenue works with people who have mental illness to help them fill out resumes, learn skills needed for work and help them get jobs so they can live independently in the community.

“They have a great success rate,” Massey said. “I’m really impressed with the resources and the programs they offer.”

Massey, as well as several police officers and Sgt. Dan Goss, whose idea it was to have the tournament, will play golf as part of Monday’s event.

As of Tuesday, $6,500 had been raised for High Hopes to be used for a building expansion, Goss said. Area businesses donated items and gift certificates to be given away as part of drawings during the tournament.

“The business community support has been phenomenal,” Goss said.

Joseph’s Sporting Goods, for instance, donated a driver, C.N. Brown donated 100 gallons of heating oil, Marden’s Surplus & Salvage donated clubs and a golf bag and other businesses contributed gift cards and other gifts.

Businesses also sponsored teams, and 16 teams made up of 64 people are scheduled to play in the tournament.

“The Waterville Country Club, which is hosting us, has been very gracious and helped a great deal with the setup,” Goss said. “It’s the first one I’ve ever coordinated on this scale.”

Golfers will register from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and tee off at 8 a.m.

City Manager Michael Roy, who has been a member of the High Hopes Clubhouse board of directors for more than 20 years, also will participate.

“Ultimately, I think the High Hopes program needs to be in a bigger space,” Roy said. “I think that’s one of the consequences of success, that the membership has grown so much, they have outgrown their space.”

Goss said people may donate to the High Hopes benefit by calling the Police Department at 680-4700 and talking with either him or Kathleen Kenney-Haley, Massey’s executive assistant. Checks made out to City of Waterville with High Hopes benefit written in the lower left corner may be dropped off at the Police Department or mailed to the department at 10 Colby St., Waterville, ME 04901.

Meanwhile, Massey said police recently started taking part in Badges and Basketball at the Alfond Youth Center, where an officer spends 45 minutes on Thursday for 12 weeks with children, playing games and helping them to learn sportsmanship, responsibility and other attributes. Massey and officers have been participating.

“We talk about the ways they follow the rules, about sportsmanship and being respectful,” Massey said. “We have a good time.”

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17

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