2026 Pops Memorial Golf Outing Raises More Than $750,000

Golfers hit the links on July 13 at Westchester Country Club in Rye, for The Pops Memorial Golf Outing to benefit Blythedale Children's Hospital. It was a picture-perfect day of competition and community, raising more than $750,000 for Blythedale’s Robert Stone Day Hospital- a program for medically fragile children who are able to live at home but attend school and receive medical and rehabilitative care at the Hospital daily.
The day included a double shotgun start across both golf courses, an opportunity for non-golfers to visit the Hospital, and an evening reception dedicated to supporting children, like Mira.
Mira was admitted to Blythedale during the winter of 2025, recovering from an arteriovenous malformation, or AVM. It’s an experience her family says they’ll never forget. 
“People donated money to help me get better. At first, I couldn’t even move or talk, eat or walk. But thanks to that money, I was able to get better,” said Mira. “Blythedale got us through the most challenging time of our lives,” said Mira’s mom, Fran. “Moment to moment, hour to hour and day to day we eventually found ourselves on the other side.  With new friends, new family and the possibility of a new life with our child. Thank you, Blythedale, and everyone who has supported this amazing place.”
This event was founded in 2013 by Stuart Dix, father of Blythedale Trustee Farrel Starker, and Michael Brown. Their shared vision of bringing friends and family together for a day of golf and to learn more about Blythedale Children's Hospital grew in 2014 with 80 golfers raising $200,000 for the children of Blythedale. In September of 2014, Stuart unexpectedly passed away, and his family and friends decided to carry on the event in his memory and hosted the first Stuart H. Dix Memorial Golf outing in 2015. The event continues to grow, now honoring the legacies of three beloved Pops – Stuart, Steven Starker’s father, Ray, and this year, Michael Brown’s father, Wayne. Since its inception, this event has raised more than $7.5 million dollars for programs and services benefitting the children of Blythedale.
  “I just want to thank everyone for coming," said co-host Michael Brown. "It’s a great tradition for us and we're honored everyone’s here and supports the event. Everyone at Blythedale is amazing; it is such a special place, and it’s an honor.”
As the 2026 Pops Outing comes to a close, the scores may be forgotten, but the impact for Blythedale’s families will last long after the final putt.
“We do things insurance companies don’t pay us for because it’s the right thing to do for kids," said Blythedale CEO, Dr. Nathaniel Beers. "But the reason why we can do it is because of people like you coming together to support us and making sure we can wrap around children and families, and create experiences they need to get home and get healthy."
Click below or an album from the event!