O'Brien family golfs to give back

The O’Brien Open golf tournament isn’t about golf. It’s about giving back. What started 23 years ago as a day of fellowship for the O’Briens has turned into a fundraiser for people in need. More than two decades later, their annual event has 144 golfers registered, and has raised more than $40,000 for recipients from all over southern Minnesota. 

This year, the 23rd O’Brien Open will begin at 8 a.m. August 5 at The Legacy golf course in Faribault. They choose the Legacy because it allows their event to occupy the entire course.

Mike and Bea O’Brien have been Waseca residents for more than six decades; they celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary last week. Their nine adult children work together to operate the tournament: John, Jason, Tony, Andy, Joel, Matt, Ben, Katie and Kari. 

Golfing has always been important to the family. The predecessor to the O’Brien Open was a friendly golf tournament among the nine offspring, their spouses, children, and close family friends.  “It was just an outing to close the summer by spending time with people that we enjoy spending time with,” said Jason, the second oldest son.

About 12 years ago when the event grew to include about 50 golfers, brother Joel suggested adding the benevolent element of giving money to a charitable cause.  

Jason said the first few years had relatively light donations. Most were less than $500 and generally went to people they knew who were in need. “We just picked anyone we knew as a family who needed help,” Jason said. This was anything from medical bills to groceries.

As people started to see the impact the O’Briens were making, the idea of community coming together took root. 

“As word got out that it was a fundraiser, it continued to grow,” Jason said. “Unfortunately there is no shortage of people who are hurting.”  Although the tournament board often has a fairly long list of potential benefactors, most years two are chosen. Jason explains that, with two, the benefits are shared while keeping the amount that is given high enough to have significant impact.

Last year the O’Brien Open raised $17,000, some of which was used to benefit Bea, who had been diagnosed with cancer. 

“Last year was special for sure as the community really stepped up for my mom,” Jason said. In doing so, the Open raised double the money brought in from previous years. 

“This doesn’t mean other stories aren’t also very trying and impactful,” Jason assured. “As they say, you don’t have to look far to realize how lucky you are.” 

The O’Briens have two boards which help keep the tournament running - one for the nonprofit and one for the O’Brien Open. According to Jason, it takes both boards to make the tournament and the donations work.

The board and the family take recommendations from friends, family, and the public for who should be the year’s beneficiary. The selection process includes hearing recommendations and going over applications. Then the O’Brien family and board members make their decision.

“Generally those we can’t help one year, we’ll try to help the next,” Jason said. “Those decisions are really tough because everybody is worthy. You try to find those where it’s a little more urgent or most in need and you start there.”

Besides deciding who gets the donations, there is a lot more involved with making the tournament run.

It’s the family side that makes it work, according to Jason. Divide and conquer– because the tournament has gotten as large as it has, everyone in the family has a role to play. This includes the hard work of the nieces and nephews as well, as Jason said the family is excited to see them “put their stamp on it” too. 

But the O’Briens are happy to do it. 

“Along the way, of course, all of us have needed help in one way or the other in different instances and have received that help,” Jason said. “It’s more of a repaying that kindness and that generosity that was given to us.”  

Jason believes that the tournament makes everyone involved appreciate what they’ve been given while also allowing them to help others, something he believes has “just kind of been everyone’s nature.” 

This year, the O’Brien Open has chosen two beneficiaries. One is the family of 11-year-old Emmy Edlund. The O’Briens are also donating separately to the family of baby Landon Link, who is creating awareness for stillbirth and infant loss. 

Following is the statement from Emmy’s family sent to the O’Briens.

“Emmy Edlund is an 11-year-old girl from St. Michael, MN. She is excited to start 6th grade in the fall! Emmy lives with her parents, Jere and Meghan, and has two older brothers named Gavin and Aiden. She also has two cats named Mittens and Tigerlily. “She loves softball, shopping, dancing and singing.

“In December of 2021, Emmy’s dad felt a couple of large lumps on her neck. After going to Children’s Hospital for several biopsies, scans and ultrasounds, she was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer in January 2022. 

“In February, Emmy had surgery to remove her entire thyroid plus 60 lymph nodes. There was cancer in 30 of the 60 lymph nodes. Emmy and her parents spent 4 long nights in the Pediatric ICU at Children’s. Once her body healed completely from that surgery, doctors did more nuclear med scans of her neck and found more cancerous lymph nodes and spots on her lungs, so she underwent another major surgery in June 2022. In July they released radiation into her body and hoped and prayed it would do the job of eliminating any more hidden cancer - including the cancer that had spread to her lungs. 

“In March 2023, we got the news that the radiation had targeted all the cancer like it was supposed to and she was cancer free!! Now we monitor through ultrasounds of her neck every 6 months. She will take Thyroid replacement medications for the rest of her life.”

For anyone who wants more information or is interested in donating to the O’Brien Open charity, Jason suggests emailing obrienopen@gmail.com. 

Jason explains that the tournament is trying to strengthen its impact by receiving donations from a wider variety of contributors, and so is encouraging people who are not golfers –or O’Briens–to offer support. “The people who participate in the Open also donate extra money; that’s where a lot of our funds come from,” Jason explained. “We want to take that next step and help make a real difference.”