The chamber has chosen Dream Big! to be the nonprofit beneficiary of its 28th Annual Children’s Charitable Golf Tournament happening at Woodland Golf Club on Mon. Aug. 5.

Each year, the chamber’s golf committee selects a different local nonprofit located in Newton or Needham whose mission includes working with children to be the recipient of a portion of the tournament’s proceeds.

Dream Big! is a Newton-based nonprofit founded in 2010 that provides opportunities to thousands of girls and young women from low-income situations to participate in sports and physical activities. Now celebrating their 10th anniversary, they’ve made an impact on over 42,000 girls and young women in underserved communities through equipment and sports attire grants, program fee scholarships, sports clinics, college showcases and the Dream Big! Leadership Conferences for middle and high school female student athletes.

“Participation in sports gives girls and young women the strength, self-esteem and tools they need to live healthy, active and successful lives,” Linda Driscoll, founder, president & CEO, said. Unfortunately, poverty can severely limit a young girl’s involvement in physical activity and sports, most of which have associated costs including program and training fees or the cost of equipment, uniforms and athletic footwear. We are so very grateful to the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber for selecting Dream Big! as the charity to benefit from this year's Children's Charitable Golf Tournament."

Driscoll also added, "10 years ago, a coach told me how her girls basketball team played their games after the boys team and the boys would go into the locker room and take off their uniforms and the girls then had to then put them on to play. I could not imagine that and thus came the creation of Dream Big!”

The nonprofit is made up of a small staff and board of directors but their passion and dedication has led the organization to grow from a locally recognized to internationally recognized organization and is making an impact across the nation and across the globe.

The Village Bank is a multi-year presenting sponsor of the chamber’s golf tournament. The continued success of this marquee event is largely due to the support from The Village Bank both on and off the course, sending both golfers to participate and volunteers to help out with event logistics and staffing.

Returning as sponsors are Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham, Cambridge Savings Bank, Newton-Wellesley Hospital and One Wingate Way. Showcase SuperLux, North Hill, DesCar Jewelry Design and Cataldo Ambulance Service have also jumped on board as sponsors for this year’s tournament. Mark Development has returned as the bar sponsor for the reception.

More about Dream Big!

Dream Big’s mission is to help girls from low-income situations achieve their dreams by providing them with the basic items and fees necessary to enable them to participate in sports and physical activities that contribute to their health, education and overall well-being.

Founded in 2010, Dream Big! works to breakdown the economic barrier that prevents thousands of girls and young women from low-income situations from participating in sports and physical activities. Dream Big! partners with hundreds of organizations, schools and community sports programs to identify and fulfill the sports equipment, athletic footwear, sports attire, uniforms, training and program fee needs of girls and young women from low-income situations in elementary, junior high and high school.

Dream Big! works to not only ensure that all girls, regardless of socio-economic background, have the items and fees they need to participate in sports and physical activities but they also work to create opportunities for girls to develop social connections with peers and mentors; maintain healthy, active lives; learn about college and careers; assume leadership roles; and grow physically, emotionally, and socially through sports, physical activities, education and the Dream Big! Leadership Conferences.

The 28th Annual Children’s Charitable Golf Tournament takes place Mon. Aug. 5 at Woodland Golf Club, 1897 Washington St. in Newton. Lunch and registration begin at 11 a.m. with a 12:30 p.m. shotgun. Registration fee includes all green fees and cart, lunch, cocktail reception, putting contest, use of practice facilities, prizes for top teams and a gift for each player. Early Bird Rates through June 30: $345/golfer, $1380/foursome, $1500/foursome plus tee sign. After June 30: $370/golfer, $1480/foursome.