Press Release
Greg Cummings and Jill DePaola discuss how the Long Home Golf Classic and Bo’s Effort are transforming community leadership through mental wellness awareness, education, and support for families impacted by mental illness...
Breaking the Silence Together: How Jill DePaola and Bo’s Effort Are Using the Long Home Golf Classic to Break the Stigma Around Mental Illness in Maryland
Power100 - Long Home
May 13, 2026 | 4 min Read
Power100 CEO Greg Cummings joined Jill DePaola at the Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament in Maryland to spotlight mental health awareness, community support, and the growing impact of the Long Home Golf Classic in breaking the stigma of mental illness.
The Long Home Golf Classic, created in support of Bo’s Effort, has grown into a powerful Maryland community event focused on mental health awareness, education, and hope. Bo’s Effort was founded in 2015 by John, Jill, Katie, and Johnny DePaola in honor of Bo DePaola, who passed away at age 20 after living with bipolar disorder. What began as one family’s mission to honor Bo has become a larger movement to break the stigma of mental illness, support families, and help more people speak openly about mental wellness.
At this year’s Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament in Maryland, Greg Cummings, CEO of Power100, joined more than 300 attendees, sponsors, volunteers, and golfers who came together to support the mission. Power100 is the only unbiased third-party platform that recognizes and elevates the top leaders and most impactful companies in the home improvement industry. Greg’s presence at the event showed how leaders in the home improvement space are not only building strong companies, but also showing up for causes that help families, communities, and future generations.
The Event That Turned Community Support Into a Movement for Mental Wellness
The Long Home Golf Classic is more than a golf event. It is a day where people gather with purpose. It brings together families, friends, business leaders, volunteers, sponsors, and golfers who all believe mental health should be talked about with care, honesty, and love.
At the heart of the event is Bo’s Effort, a mission built in memory of Bo DePaola. Bo’s story is deeply personal to the DePaola family, but it also speaks to many families who have walked through the pain, fear, and confusion that can come with mental illness. Bo was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 19, and his journey showed how hard mental illness can be for both the person living with it and the people who love them.
During a rapid fire interview with Power100 CEO Greg Cummings, Jill DePaola, Bo’s mother, shared the simple but powerful message behind the event.
“We’re just really grateful for everybody who comes out and supports and helps us get the word out about mental wellness.” Jill DePaola, Mother of Bo DePaola
That message shaped the whole day. The Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament was not just about raising funds. It was about helping people feel seen. It was about reminding families that they are not alone. It was about giving mental wellness the same care and respect that people often give to physical health.
Jill said it best when she shared that the goal is for people to “look at their mental health, like they do their physical health.” That idea is the heart of Bo’s Effort. It makes mental health feel less hidden and less scary. It helps people understand that asking for help is not weakness. It is part of taking care of yourself.
With more than 300 people in attendance, the Long Home Golf Classic showed what can happen when a community comes together around compassion. Volunteers gave their time. Sponsors gave their support. Golfers showed up to play for a purpose. Families gathered to honor Bo’s memory and help carry his story forward.
For Greg Cummings and Power100, the event reflected a deeper kind of leadership. It showed that the home improvement industry can be part of something bigger than business growth. It can help raise awareness. It can support families. It can stand beside causes that bring healing to real people.
The growth of Bo’s Effort also shows the power of long term commitment. Since 2015, the DePaola family has used Bo’s story to open doors for education, support, and mental health awareness. Through scholarships, healthcare support, and community events, Bo’s Effort continues to turn love into action.
Now, with the 11th Annual Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament set for Monday, May 18, 2026 at Queenstown Harbor, the mission continues to grow. What started as a family’s tribute has become a community movement. And through the Long Home Golf Classic, Bo’s legacy continues to help break the silence around mental illness.
A Mother’s Message Turned the Day Into Something Bigger
During the Long Home Golf Classic, the rapid fire interview between Greg Cummings and Jill DePaola became one of the most meaningful moments of the Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament. Jill spoke with the calm strength of a mother who has lived through deep loss, but also with the hope of someone who has chosen to help others.
Bo’s Effort was created in honor of Bo DePaola, who passed away at age 20 after living with bipolar disorder. His story is personal to the DePaola family, but it also speaks to many families who face mental illness in silence. Through Bo’s Effort, the family has turned pain into a mission built on awareness, education, compassion, and support.
Jill’s words showed why this mission matters so much. “We’re just really grateful for everybody who comes out and supports and helps us get the word out about mental wellness,” said Jill DePaola, mother of Bo DePaola. Her message was simple, but it carried the full heart of the event. This was not only about remembering Bo. It was about helping more families feel seen, heard, and supported.
That is what made the Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament so powerful. It showed that leadership can be deeply human. In the home improvement industry, where many leaders focus on growth, service, and business results, this event offered a wider view of impact. It showed that strong leadership also means caring for the people and families behind every community.
Learn more about the mission behind Bo’s Effort.
Mental Wellness Became a Conversation Everyone Could Understand
One of Jill’s most important messages was the need for people to look at mental health the same way they look at physical health. That idea helped shape the deeper meaning of the Long Home Golf Classic. Mental wellness should not be hidden. It should not be treated with shame. It should be cared for with the same love, time, and attention people give to the body.
Jill shared that Bo’s Effort is focused on helping people “get the word out about mental wellness” and helping more people take care of themselves. This message made the event feel open and welcoming. It gave people permission to talk about mental illness in a way that felt honest, kind, and safe.
For many families, mental illness can feel lonely. Bo’s Effort is working to change that by creating space for real conversations. These conversations matter because they can help people ask for help sooner, support loved ones better, and understand that mental health is part of everyday life.
This also connects to a larger shift in leadership. In the home improvement industry, companies are built around homes, families, and trust. Events like this remind leaders that wellness is part of strong communities. When leaders support mental health awareness, they help build a culture where people feel valued beyond the work they do.
Support mental wellness awareness by learning more about the Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament.
The Community Showed Up as One Voice of Support
The strength of the day was not only found in the interview. It was seen across the full event. More than 300 attendees came together to support Bo’s Effort and its mission to break the stigma of mental illness. Golfers, volunteers, sponsors, families, and friends all played a role in making the Long Home Golf Classic feel like a true community movement.
Jill made sure to honor the people who helped make the event possible. “We just have just tons of support here,” she said. “We’ve been so thankful to our volunteers, our sponsors, our golfers and everybody.”
That gratitude gave the event a warm and real feeling. It showed that this mission belongs to more than one family. It has become something many people now carry together. Every person who showed up helped make the message stronger. Every sponsor, volunteer, and golfer helped turn awareness into action.
For the home improvement industry, this kind of support sends a strong message. The best leaders and companies are not only known by what they build. They are also known by how they show up for people. The Long Home Golf Classic showed that when a community comes together with care, it can help turn silence into support.
Join the growing community supporting Bo’s Effort.
Awareness Became Real Help Through Education and Care
Bo’s Effort is not only raising awareness. It is helping create real change through education and healthcare support. That makes the mission even stronger. The work does not stop when the event ends. It continues through scholarships, medical support, and programs that help people who are close to mental health challenges.
Through its scholarship work, Bo’s Effort supports students who want to enter the mental health field or who have been directly impacted by mental illness. These scholarships help young people turn their own stories and goals into future service. They also help grow the next group of people who may one day support families facing mental health needs.
Bo’s Effort has also supported pediatric mental health through Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center, including a $100,000 contribution toward pediatric mental health. This shows how the event is tied to real outcomes. It is not only about talking. It is about helping fund care, education, and support.
This is where the Long Home Golf Classic becomes more than a fundraiser. It becomes a path toward long term change. It shows how community events can help build a stronger future for families, students, nurses, care teams, and children who need support.
Help continue this work by supporting Bo’s Effort mental health awareness and education.
Greg Cummings Saw a Deeper Kind of Industry Leadership
Greg Cummings’ time at the event brought another layer to the story. As CEO of Power100, he came not just to attend, but to listen, engage, and help share the meaning behind the day. His conversation with Jill helped bring the human side of the event forward.
In his opening remarks, Greg described the event as something he was humbled to be part of. He also noted the strong support around the Bo’s Effort Annual Golf Tournament and the shared goal of helping spread the word about mental health awareness. His presence reflected a wider truth about the home improvement space. The industry is not only made of companies. It is made of people, families, stories, and communities.
That is why this event matters. It shows that industry leadership can be rooted in care. It can include showing up for causes that help families heal. It can include using a platform to lift important conversations that may not always get the attention they deserve.
The Long Home Golf Classic gave leaders a clear example of what purpose driven influence can look like. It was not loud or self focused. It was personal, generous, and deeply connected to the needs of real people.
Bo’s Legacy Continues to Grow Through a Long Term Mission
What began as a tribute to Bo DePaola has grown into a lasting movement for mental wellness advocacy. The Long Home Golf Classic now stands as a yearly reminder that one story can keep helping people long after loss. Through Bo’s Effort, Bo’s name continues to bring people together, open hard conversations, and support families who need hope.
The upcoming 11th Annual Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament, set for Monday, May 18, 2026 at Queenstown Harbor, shows the strength of this mission. Year after year, the event continues to grow. More people learn about the cause. More families hear the message. More support is directed toward education, care, and awareness.
Jill’s interview helped make that future feel clear. The mission is not only to remember Bo. It is to help people care for their mental health, support one another, and break the stigma that keeps too many people silent.
This long term work is also a model for the home improvement industry. It shows that real impact is built over time. It is built through trust, care, and repeated action. The Long Home Golf Classic is proof that when leaders and communities keep showing up, a family’s love can become a movement that changes lives.
How the Long Home Golf Classic Is Creating Real Change Across the Community
The impact of the Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament reaches far beyond one day on the golf course. What makes the Long Home Golf Classic different is what happens after the event ends. The support raised through the tournament continues moving through schools, hospitals, healthcare programs, support groups, and families across the community.
At the center of Bo’s Effort is a belief that awareness must lead to action. The organization understands that conversations around mental wellness are important, but real change also requires education, support systems, and access to care. That is why the mission has grown into something much larger than awareness alone.
Since its founding, Bo’s Effort has helped direct more than $863,000 toward mental health awareness, education, healthcare support, and scholarships. Those resources are helping build stronger support systems for both individuals and families impacted by mental illness.
One of the biggest areas of impact has been healthcare support through Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. Funding has helped support mental health positions, staff training, hospital support, and nursing scholarship opportunities connected to mental health studies. In 2025, Bo’s Effort also presented a $100,000 contribution toward pediatric mental health, helping support children and families who may need mental health care early in life.
This work reflects one of the organization’s clearest beliefs: stronger mental healthcare begins with investing in the people who provide it. By helping nurses and healthcare workers continue their education, the mission is helping improve care for future patients and families throughout the region.
Education has also become one of the strongest pillars of the Bo’s Effort mission. Through Scholarships for Scholars, the organization helps local students who have either experienced the impact of mental illness personally or want to build careers in the mental health field. These scholarships do more than help with tuition. They help students feel seen, supported, and encouraged to turn difficult experiences into future purpose.
Each year, students submit deeply personal essays sharing their stories, struggles, hopes, and goals. Those stories have become part of the heartbeat of the organization. They show how many young people are quietly carrying mental health challenges and how meaningful support can help change the direction of their future.
The Long Home Golf Classic has also helped support the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Anne Arundel County. Funding has helped provide educational programs, support groups, and mental wellness resources for families throughout the community. These programs create spaces where people can learn, connect, and find support without fear of judgment.
At the community level, Bo’s Effort has continued investing in awareness and education initiatives that help keep mental wellness conversations active and visible. That work matters because many families still struggle in silence. By helping bring these conversations into schools, healthcare spaces, and public events, the organization continues helping reduce stigma one conversation at a time.
What stands out most about the Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament is how personal the mission remains even as the impact grows. The work is still deeply connected to Bo’s story, but it has also become a source of hope for many other families who may feel alone in their own struggles.
The Long Home Golf Classic is proving that community events can do far more than raise money. They can help shape culture. They can build support systems. They can encourage education. They can strengthen healthcare access. Most importantly, they can remind people that mental wellness deserves care, compassion, and continued attention.
As the community now looks ahead to the 11th Annual Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament on Monday, May 18, 2026 at Queenstown Harbor, the mission continues growing with the same goal that started it all: helping more people feel supported, understood, and never alone in their mental health journey.
A Community Movement That Continues Growing Beyond the Golf Course
As the day came to a close at the Long Home Golf Classic, the feeling left behind was bigger than the tournament itself. What started years ago as a way to honor Bo DePaola has grown into something that continues touching lives across families, schools, healthcare spaces, and communities throughout Maryland.
The Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament has become more than an annual event. It has become a place where people gather with compassion, where difficult conversations are welcomed with understanding, and where families affected by mental illness can feel less alone. Through awareness, education, scholarships, healthcare support, and community connection, the mission continues reaching people in ways that extend far beyond the golf course.
The conversation between Greg Cummings and Jill DePaola helped bring that mission into focus. Jill’s message about treating mental health with the same care and attention as physical health captured the deeper purpose behind the entire event. It was a reminder that mental wellness should never be hidden in silence. It should be supported openly, talked about honestly, and cared for with compassion.
That message continues to grow stronger every year because more people are choosing to stand behind it. Volunteers continue giving their time. Sponsors continue showing support. Families continue sharing their stories. Community leaders continue helping bring awareness to mental wellness in meaningful ways.
Looking ahead to the 11th Annual Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament on Monday, May 18, 2026 at Queenstown Harbor, the mission continues moving forward with hope. The goal is not only to grow the event, but to keep growing the impact behind it. Every conversation started, every scholarship awarded, every healthcare initiative supported, and every family encouraged becomes part of a larger movement working to break the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Bo’s story continues changing lives because people chose to turn grief into action, silence into conversation, and community into hope.
For more information about Bo’s Effort and the upcoming 2026 tournament, visit Bo’s Effort.
FAQ Section
- How does Power100 help homeowners and contractors identify trusted leaders in the home improvement industry?
Power100 helps spotlight trusted CEOs, companies, and strategic partners across the home improvement industry through independent rankings, interviews, event coverage, and leadership features. The platform uses a proprietary five layer ranking system focused on leadership, culture, customer experience, innovation, and long term growth to help raise industry standards.
- Why does Power100 cover community impact events like the Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament?
Power100 highlights leaders and organizations creating meaningful impact both inside and outside business operations. Events like the Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament reflect a growing leadership movement within the home improvement industry focused on community support, mental wellness advocacy, education, and long term social impact. The platform believes leadership is not only about company growth, but also about how businesses support people and communities.
- What is the Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament and why is it important?
The Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament, also known as the Long Home Golf Classic, is an annual community event created to raise awareness around mental illness and mental wellness. The event honors the life of Bo DePaola and supports families impacted by mental health challenges through awareness programs, scholarships, healthcare initiatives, and community support efforts.
- How is Bo’s Effort helping break the stigma surrounding mental illness?
Bo’s Effort encourages open conversations around mental wellness by helping people treat mental health with the same importance as physical health. Through community events, educational initiatives, healthcare partnerships, and public awareness efforts, the organization is helping families feel less alone while encouraging more compassionate conversations around mental illness.
- What scholarships does Bo’s Effort provide for students and healthcare professionals?
Bo’s Effort supports mental health related scholarships through partnerships with Scholarships for Scholars and Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. These programs help students pursuing careers in mental health fields, students personally impacted by mental illness, and healthcare professionals seeking advanced education connected to mental wellness care.
- How has the Long Home Golf Classic impacted the Maryland community?
The Long Home Golf Classic has helped direct more than $863,000 toward mental health awareness, healthcare support, educational programs, scholarships, and family support initiatives throughout the Maryland community. Funding has supported hospitals, mental health organizations, student scholarships, healthcare staff education, and community mental wellness programs.
- What did Jill DePaola share during her conversation with Greg Cummings at the Bo’s Effort event?
During the rapid fire interview, Jill DePaola emphasized the importance of mental wellness awareness and encouraged people to care for their mental health the same way they care for their physical health. Her message focused on compassion, openness, community support, and helping families affected by mental illness feel supported rather than isolated.
- When and where is the 11th Annual Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament taking place?
The 11th Annual Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament is scheduled for Monday, May 18, 2026 at Queenstown Harbor in Maryland. The event will continue bringing together families, business leaders, sponsors, golfers, and supporters to advance mental wellness awareness and community support initiatives through Bo’s Effort.
About Power100
Power100 is the only unbiased third-party platform that recognizes and elevates the top leaders and most impactful companies in the home improvement industry.
Founded to give leading contractors, CEOs, and innovators a stronger voice, Power100 serves as a trusted platform dedicated to highlighting the people and companies shaping the future of the industry. Through executive interviews, industry rankings, leadership spotlights, event coverage, and strategic partnerships, Power100 helps bring visibility to organizations creating meaningful impact across the home improvement space.
The platform was built on the belief that great leadership goes beyond revenue and production. It includes culture, innovation, customer experience, community involvement, and long term industry advancement. By spotlighting companies and leaders making a real difference, Power100 helps contractors, homeowners, strategic partners, and industry professionals connect with trusted organizations driving positive change.
Through conversations with influential leaders, coverage of major industry events, and partnerships with companies committed to excellence, Power100 continues helping elevate the standards of leadership throughout the home improvement ecosystem.