By PETE FONTAINE

To say the Tri-City Elks took a page out of the famous Masters Golf Tournament would be an understatement of huge proportions.

For starters, a 15-member, all-volunteer committee made up of members from Warwick-based Lodge 14, worked tirelessly for the past five months securing a dozen Gold and 13 Silver sponsors, 40 tee and memorial signs and upwards of 50 raffle prizes for the first ever Albert “Cookie” DeLory Golf Tournament that will benefit the Colorectal Cancer Alliance that took the beloved Elk at age 77 back in 2019.

Moreover, golfer-after-golfer concurred - as the Masters slogan states - the inaugural was indeed a tournament unlike any other.

“I’ve never seen such an outpouring of love, respect and generosity of business owners as we received in making this memorial tribute to Cookie an extraordinary and overwhelming success,’” offered Deb Mangina, Tri-City’s popular Exalted Ruler. “This was a fantastic and true testimony of how much Cookie was loved.”

Perhaps Ann Licciardi, Tri-City’s Inner Guard who took in nearly $900 selling raffle tickets for an oversized wagon which was filled with bottles of liquor and wine, said it best during the post-golf dinner as she chatted with Sue Hartington.

“This is THE BEST event the Elks have ever had,” Licciardi assessed. “The generosity of everyone here (last Friday) is proof and a show of respect and admiration of everything Cookie did for our lodge.”

The late DeLory, who joined Lodge 14 in 2009 and was named Elk of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, compiled a legacy that includes spear-heading a drive to build an outside deck as well as conducting a highly-successful drive to replace aging lounge chairs and stools, was known as an “Elk for all reasons and seasons.”

Robert “Bob” Hartington, a past Exalted Ruler and Lodge 14 Trustee who served as co-chairman with Cheryl Rebello, offered: “Cookie DeLory was a very valuable member of our lodge. Every day you could find him here taking care of multiple things that most members don’t’ even think about. He was without question one of those rare finds.”

DeLory, Hartington went on, “Could be found preparing liquor orders, balancing the Lottery account, or even filling the walk-in cooler. He could always be heard saying ‘Pressure, Pressure’ although he never looked as if he felt any of it. He made members feel welcomed and valuable. Tri-City lost a treasure when Cookie lost his fight against colon cancer in 2019.”

Hartington then concluded by saying: “Thank you to all committee members who spent many hours getting donations to support this endeavor. Once we are finished totaling money we took and pay expenses, a donation will be made to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance in Cookie’s memory.”

The nine-hole tournament, which was played at nearby Harbor Lights Golf Course, created so much excitement that organizers didn’t have a chance to total scorecards in time for the post-golf steak and/or chicken dinner that was cooked by Dennis “Goober” Martel and Lodge 14’s Music Man Rob Caramante.

Even Gov. Daniel J. McKee presented Lodge 14 with an official State of Rhode Island Proclamation that was presented by Richard J. DelFino III, Director of Municipal Affairs and Swing Juice Apparel of Pawtucket presented each golfer with a hat and t-shirt.

As Hartington wanted it known: “We’ll be back bigger and better in 2022!”

Thus, as Hartington and many Elks said: “Hat’s off to the great committee – Lori Amoroso, Marianne Beirne, Rob Caramante, Kathy Cesaro, Carol DeLory, Jim Fletcher, Wayne and MJ Larned, Maureen Sullivan and Dick and Donna Warner – for presenting a well-run extraordinary event that will help people battling colorectal cancer.”