Press Release
A conversation about how Bo’s Effort turned one family’s love for Bo DePaola into a growing community movement that is helping the home improvement industry understand the power of purpose, mental health awareness, and community driven leadership...
More Than A Golf Tournament: Bo’s Effort Shows Why Community Purpose Matters In Today’s Home Improvement Industry
Power100 - Long Home
June 04, 2026 | 4 min Read
Greg Cummings, CEO of Power100, attended Bo’s Effort to spotlight how this Maryland mental health awareness nonprofit is turning one family’s love for Bo DePaola into a community movement for mental health, scholarships, and purpose driven leadership.
Bo’s Effort is a mental health awareness nonprofit in Maryland created in honor of Bo DePaola. What began as one family’s way to honor Bo has grown into a strong community mission to break the stigma of mental illness, support families, fund mental health education, and bring people together around care, hope, and action. Through the Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament at Queenstown Harbor, the DePaola family, the Long Home community, sponsors, donors, volunteers, and attendees continue to show how one story can help many people feel seen and supported.
Greg Cummings, CEO of Power100, attended Bo’s Effort to spend time with the family, volunteers, sponsors, and guests who help carry this mission forward. His message from the event was clear. Great companies today must do more than offer strong products and services. They must know their “why” and stay close to the people and communities they serve.
Power100 is the only unbiased third-party platform that recognizes and elevates the top leaders and most impactful companies in the home improvement industry. That is why this event matters to the wider home improvement space. It shows leaders that purpose, care, and community can become part of how a company grows, serves, and leads.
A Day Where Community, Purpose, And Mental Health Awareness Came Together
On May 18, 2026, the 2026 Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament at Queenstown Harbor became much more than a day on the golf course. It became a powerful reminder of what can happen when families, businesses, healthcare leaders, volunteers, and local communities come together around a cause that truly matters. From the moment guests arrived, the atmosphere carried a strong sense of connection, purpose, and support for mental health awareness.
Throughout the day, members of the Long Home community stood alongside sponsors, donors, hospitals, institutions, volunteers, and supporters who all shared one goal: helping break the stigma surrounding mental illness while continuing the mission created in honor of Bo DePaola. The event brought together people from many walks of life, yet the feeling across Queenstown Harbor remained the same. Everyone was there to support something bigger than themselves.
As conversations unfolded across the course, attendees reflected on how much the event has grown over the years. Many shared stories about returning each year with friends, coworkers, and family members who wanted to become part of the mission. That growing support helped Bo’s Effort reach a major milestone in 2026, surpassing more than $2 million raised over 11 years for mental health awareness, education, scholarships, and community support initiatives.
The day also highlighted the growing importance of purpose driven leadership across the home improvement industry. Greg Cummings spoke with attendees, sponsors, healthcare partners, and supporters throughout the event, capturing how community involvement has become a meaningful part of modern business leadership. His conversations showed that many companies today are looking for ways to create a deeper connection with the people and communities they serve.
John DePaola, Bo’s father, reminded attendees why the event continues to matter so deeply.
“This is in honor of Bo and the underlying theme here is mental illness.” John DePaola, Bo’s Father
That message stayed at the center of the day. While guests enjoyed golf, conversation, laughter, and camaraderie, the mission behind the event never faded. Every sponsor contribution, every volunteer effort, and every attendee presence helped move the conversation around mental health awareness forward.
The energy throughout the tournament reflected both hope and unity. Guests described the event as “awesome,” “amazing,” “fantastic,” and “inspirational.” Others called it meaningful work built around fun, friendship, and community support. Together, those moments showed why Bo’s Effort continues to grow into one of the most recognized mental health charity golf tournaments in Maryland, bringing people together not only to raise funds, but also to raise awareness, compassion, and understanding.
What Greg Cummings Heard On The Course Was A Deeper Lesson In Leadership
Greg Cummings, CEO of Power100, came to the 2026 tournament with a clear message. Great companies are not only built by what they sell. They are built by what they stand for. As he moved through the event, spoke with the DePaola family, met supporters, and heard from guests, the day became a strong picture of what purpose looks like when it is lived out in public.
“In today’s world, it’s not enough to just be great at the products and services that you do. You have to have a why behind your company.” Greg Cummings, CEO, Power100
The event showed how a community can come together around one clear reason to care. It gave the Long Home community, sponsors, volunteers, healthcare partners, and guests a shared cause that went far beyond a normal business event. It became a place where people could support mental health awareness, honor Bo DePaola, and help more families feel less alone.
For leaders in the home improvement industry, that message matters. Homeowners want to know who they can trust. Team members want to know why their work matters. Communities want to see companies give back in ways that feel real. This Maryland mental health awareness nonprofit gave leaders a clear example of how a strong “why” can bring people together and keep them coming back.
A Family Story Became A Mission That Helps Others Speak Up
At the heart of the day was Bo DePaola. His story gave the event its meaning, its emotion, and its mission. What started as a way for one family to honor Bo has grown into a public effort to help people talk more openly about mental illness.
John DePaola, Bo’s father, reminded everyone why the event exists.
“This is in honor of Bo and the underlying theme here is mental illness.” John DePaola, Bo’s Father
Those words gave the day a deep sense of purpose. The golf, the laughter, the sponsor signs, and the crowd all pointed back to one reason. The event was created to honor Bo and to help break the stigma of mental illness. It gave people a safe place to gather, remember, support, and take part in something that helps families who are facing similar pain.
This is why the story connects so strongly with people searching for a Bo DePaola mental health foundation or a charity breaking the stigma of mental illness. It is not only about raising money. It is about turning love into action. It is about helping people understand that mental illness touches real people, real homes, and real families.
Support the mission to break the stigma around mental illness by visiting Bo’s Effort.
The Power Of The Day Came From People Who Keep Showing Up
One of the strongest parts of the event was the way attendees talked about the growth of the event. The tournament did not feel like a one time gathering. It felt like a yearly return for people who believe in the mission and want to bring others into it.
“This event has grown and there’s so many regulars. I see people every year that come out, they bring new friends or they bring friends.”
Attendee
That line shows why the event has become so meaningful. People are not just attending once and leaving. They are coming back. They are inviting friends. They are making the mission part of their own lives. That kind of support cannot be forced. It grows when people feel connected to the cause and trust the people behind it.
For the Long Home community, the day showed how business relationships can become community relationships. Sponsors, donors, golfers, volunteers, healthcare partners, and guests all had a role to play. Each person helped carry the mission forward in a small but important way. Together, they helped make the tournament one of the most meaningful mental health charity golf tournaments in Maryland.
Volunteers And Supporters Carried The Mission Behind The Scenes
Every strong event has people behind it who make the day possible. At this tournament, the volunteers stood out as a key part of the story. John DePaola took time to thank them directly and pointed to the blue shirts that helped bring the day to life.
“The volunteers who put this whole event together, anybody with a blue shirt, thank you very much.” John DePaola, Bo’s Father
That thank you showed the real heart of the event. The mission does not move forward by words alone. It moves forward because people give their time, energy, care, and service. Volunteers help turn a family mission into a full community experience that can reach more people each year.
The same was true for sponsors, donors, hospitals, institutions, and attendees. Each group helped build the day in a different way. Some gave funds. Some gave time. Some gave their voice. Some simply showed up to stand with the family and the cause. Together, they helped create the kind of support that families affected by mental illness need to see more often.
Volunteer or learn how to serve the mental health mission at Bo’s Effort Volunteer Page.
The Event Held Both Joy And Deep Meaning
The rapid fire moments gave the day a warm and human feel. When Greg Cummings asked attendees to describe the event in one word, the answers were simple, honest, and full of life.
“Awesome.”
“Amazing.”
“Doing meaningful work. Lots of fun. Camaraderie.” Attendee
“Fantastic.”
“Inspirational.”
Those words showed the full feeling of the day. The event carried a serious mission, but it was not heavy in spirit. It had joy. It had friendship. It had laughter. It had people enjoying time together while standing behind something that matters.
That balance is part of what makes the event so strong. It gives people a way to support mental health awareness while also feeling part of a caring and hopeful community. The tournament showed that hard topics can be met with love, light, and action. It gave people space to honor Bo, support families, and enjoy the kind of togetherness that keeps a mission growing.
The Two Million Dollar Mark Shows What Purpose Can Build Over Time
By the end of the event, Greg Cummings brought the story back to the impact of the day. He noted that the event had helped raise more than two million dollars for mental health awareness. That number gave the day a strong sense of scale.
“They raised over two million dollars for mental health awareness.” Greg Cummings, CEO, Power100
The milestone matters because it shows what can happen when people stay faithful to a cause for many years. Over 11 years, the event has grown through trust, love, service, and the steady support of a community that keeps showing up. The money raised is important, but the larger story is what that money stands for. It stands for care. It stands for hope. It stands for education, scholarships, and support for people touched by mental illness.
A Mission That Continues To Bring People Together Year After Year
As the day came to a close at Queenstown Harbor, one thing became clear to everyone who attended. This was never only about golf. It was about people coming together around a mission that continues to touch families, strengthen communities, and bring more awareness to mental health.
What began as a way for the DePaola family to honor Bo has grown into something much larger than one event or one moment. Over the years, the mission has created space for conversations that many families once felt afraid to have. It has helped support mental health education, scholarships, healthcare partnerships, and community programs that continue to make a difference in people’s lives.
The event also showed what purpose can do when people fully stand behind it. Volunteers gave their time. Sponsors gave their support. Attendees brought their energy, compassion, and belief in the cause. Together, they created an atmosphere filled with hope, care, and connection. Every handshake, every conversation, and every act of support helped carry the mission forward.
Greg Cummings’ message from the start of the day remained present through every part of the event. Great companies need a “why.” At Queenstown Harbor, that “why” could be seen in every story shared, every person who returned year after year, and every effort made to support mental health awareness.
The impact of this mission will continue long after the final golf cart left the course. As more families, businesses, healthcare leaders, and communities join the effort, the movement continues to grow stronger. What started with love for Bo is now helping thousands of people feel seen, supported, and understood.
And as the community looks ahead to future events, the message remains simple but powerful. When people come together with purpose, compassion, and care for others, real change becomes possible.
Frequently Asked Questions About Power100, Bo’s Effort, And The Long Home Golf Classic
- Why would a home improvement leadership platform cover a mental health charity event?
Power100 covers stories that show what strong leadership looks like in real life. The Bo’s Effort mental health charity event showed that great companies are not only measured by products, sales, or size. They are also measured by how they serve people, support families, and show up for their community. Greg Cummings attended the event because it gave the home improvement industry a clear example of purpose driven leadership.
- Why does Power100 connect community impact with home improvement leadership?
Power100 looks at leadership beyond business growth. In the home improvement industry, trust matters. Culture matters. Customer care matters. Community impact also matters. When a company supports a cause like mental health awareness, it shows that leadership is not only about building homes or growing a business. It is also about caring for the people connected to that business.
- What is Bo’s Effort, and why does its mission matter?
Bo’s Effort is a Maryland mental health awareness nonprofit created by the DePaola family in memory of Bo DePaola. Its mission is to help break the stigma of mental illness through awareness, education, conversation, and support. The mission matters because many families face mental health struggles in silence. This organization gives people a reason to speak up, ask for help, and support others with care.
- Is the Long Home Golf Classic just a company event?
No. The Long Home Golf Classic is much more than a company event. It is the main annual fundraising event for Bo’s Effort. Long Home is deeply connected to the DePaola family, with John DePaola serving as Chief Executive Officer and Jill Long DePaola serving as Chief Brand Officer. The event brings together the Long Home community, family members, sponsors, donors, volunteers, healthcare partners, and attendees to support mental health awareness.
- How does Bo’s Effort use the money raised from the golf tournament?
The money raised supports mental health awareness, education, scholarships, and related community efforts. Bo’s Effort has supported mental health related scholarships through partners such as Scholarships for Scholars and Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. The event has also helped support healthcare and mental health work that helps families, students, nurses, and communities.
- Why is the two million dollar milestone important?
The two million dollar milestone shows that this mission has grown far beyond one day of golf. It reflects 11 years of support from golfers, sponsors, donors, volunteers, family members, friends, and community partners. The number matters because it shows long term trust. It also shows that people are willing to stand behind a cause that helps break the stigma of mental illness.
- How does the event help families affected by mental illness?
The event helps by creating awareness, funding education, and making mental health easier to talk about. Families affected by mental illness often feel alone or misunderstood. Through Bo’s story, the event gives those families a public sign of support. It reminds them that mental illness is not something to hide. It is something communities can face with compassion, care, and action.
- How can someone support Bo’s Effort or get involved?
People can support Bo’s Effort by donating, volunteering, sponsoring the golf tournament, attending future events, or helping share the mission. Supporters can also help by talking more openly about mental health and pointing others toward help. For anyone looking to volunteer for a mental health nonprofit in Maryland or donate to a mental health charity in Anne Arundel County, Bo’s Effort gives people a clear way to take part in a mission that is helping families feel seen and supported.
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. Through executive interviews, industry event coverage, leadership features, rankings, and community driven conversations, Power100 gives top CEOs, brands, and innovators a platform to share the ideas, values, and leadership strategies shaping the future of home improvement. By connecting contractors, business leaders, partners, and communities through meaningful storytelling and industry visibility, Power100 continues to support the people and companies working to create lasting impact across the industry.