Cirillo to highlight Sutton tournament

Jeff Tully

When her husband, Paul, died in 1999, Dana Sutton wanted to do

something that would celebrate the life of a man who was revered and

loved not only in the Providence High community, but throughout the

city and beyond.

She also wanted to help raise money for a cause that was dear to

Paul’s heart -- the welfare of children.

Dana came up with the idea of the Paul Sutton Charity Classic, an

event that will be celebrating its fourth anniversary Oct. 25 when

the tournament is played at The Cascades Golf Course in Sylmar.

The event has successfully helped keep Paul Sutton’s memory and

spirit alive, along with raising funds for the National Childhood

Cancer Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting clinical

research, education and advocacy for the needs of infants, children

and young adults with cancer.

The event will be co-chaired by former Pioneer and Seattle

Mariners’ star Jeff Cirillo, who was a player under Paul Sutton.

“We are really looking forward to the event,” Dana said. “We have

been able to get some very good support for our first three years,

especially from the Providence community.

“Jeff Cirillo will be here again, and he has been really good

about helping us in the past.”

The tournament will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a shotgun start.

Registration is at 7 p.m., which will be followed by a putting

contest from 7:15 to 8:15. Following the event, there will be a

dinner and awards banquet at 3 p.m.

The cost is $150 per player, and tickets for just the awards

dinner are $50.

For the first time, the Suttons’ son, Nate, will be playing in the

tourney.

“Nate has been taking lessons, so he’s going to give it a try,”

Dana Sutton said.

Paul Sutton, a longtime coach and athletic director at Providence,

died four years ago after a battle with colon cancer. Sutton was a

Burroughs graduate.