Batavia, N.Y. (WBEN) - The second Monday of every August usually signifies the return of the annual Jim Kelly Celebrity Golf Classic at Terry Hills Golf Course in Batavia.
The 2025 Celebrity Classic marks the 38th annual event, with a number of former Bills players and teammates of Kelly's taking part, as well as other former and current athletes to support the Kelly for Kids Foundation, which has granted over $7 million to local organizations supporting disadvantaged and disabled youth, including Hunter’s Hope, named in honor of Jim’s son, Hunter.
Some of the notable names, past and present, in attendance on Monday included former Bills players Joe Ferguson, Steve Tasker, Leonard Smith, Don Beebe and Eric Wood, former Sabres goalie Martin Biron, and current Bandits players Dhane Smith and Ian MacKay.
This year’s event continues the mission of giving back to the Western New York community, with proceeds helping countless children and families.
"You want to make sure you're giving back, and even last night, we raised over $210,000 just in a live auction," said Kelly just prior to teeing off on Monday. "But to have people come from everywhere that have been coming here for 30, 35, years. [Former Bills general manager] Bill Polian, as I stated last night, I think he's only missed one year, and that in itself, is amazing. So to have everybody come back and continue to come back each and every year, you don't even need to send them an invite. They'll be back."
Kelly continues to be amazed at the amount of support he and his foundation gets through this tournament, even after 38 years.
"We're sold out again, and we still have groups that wanted a couple more four-somes, but we can't have three groups per-hole, every hole. It just can't happen," Kelly said with a smile. "But what we have now is just a big shout out to everybody here in Western New York and in the Rochester area that have come to support Kelly for Kids and Hunter's Hope, and I couldn't be more thankful."
This year's Celebrity Classic carries a bit more meaning for Kelly, as his first-born grandchild continues to battle an illness that his family has dealt with since he was born about a month ago.
"Today is a big day. I think as of about a couple hours ago, they took him off his medicine, and now it's just a matter of time, waiting and keep praying," Kelly noted. "I mean, the overpouring love and prayers we've had from so many people is just amazing. It almost brings me back to the days when I was going through my cancer, how many people reached out and said they were praying for us, pulling for us. And now having a grandson and we're having to go through things again, but we trust the good Lord that he has plans for not only myself and Parker and Aaron and Jill, but Bo is hopefully, and gonna keep praying, gonna reach those milestones and keep going. So right now, it's take it day-by-day and keep praying."
Kelly continues to be amazed at how a community can come together a offer so much support and love for not just his family, but others experiencing similar problems over the years.
"To be honest, it's one of those things where when you live here, you're in good support no matter what you're doing," he said. "Whether it's my golf tournament, 38 years, or my football camp for kids, 37 years, now it's a special time in my life. Welcomed our first grandchild, a grandson, and he's a little over a month old now. So we just keep praying that things progress, and he gets better each and every day.
"I've been so blessed, and to be honest with you, that's one of the reasons I'm still in Buffalo. When I needed my care and when family needed the care, ECMC has been always there for me, I've been very blessed. And I know there's the other hospitals that all do a great job, but they've been taking care of me for years now, and I thank God, because there's days where I still don't feel great. But if I ever need anybody, they're always there."
Meanwhile, the 2025 football season is right around the corner, and a number of the former players in attendance for the Celebrity Golf Classic are eager to see how the Bills perform in the final season at the current Highmark Stadium.
However, one of the main headlines this offseason has been the situation surrounding running back James Cook, who has been with the team throughout training camp and the preseason, but is not participating in practices of the first preseason game over his current contract situation.
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Smith knows the last thing the Bills need ahead of the season is any sort of distractions. He feels Cook has played well enough already, his contract situation should have been resolved already.
"They've got other backs, and that's one of those things, but hopefully they get it done," Smith said with WBEN. "He came and he participated, he was there thinking things will get worked out, it's been going on since the summer. But hopefully it gets resolved for him, because it keeps the team together, and you're not losing focus worrying about a guy that can help you in a certain way, in the way he helped you last year, but he's not on the field to help you this year. Hopefully they get it resolved in time."
As for others like Kelly and Tasker, they believe the contract situation surrounding Cook will get done in time for the upcoming season, keeping the fourth-year running back in Buffalo for the long-term.
"You never get better when good players leave or don't play. This is a really good roster," said Tasker with WBEN. "Their margin of error is big, no question about it. Josh makes that, their upgrades on the defense are going to make that, the offensive weapons they have, the offensive line. They're a really deep and talented roster, so I don't think it will prevent them from having achieving all their hopes and dreams if James isn't there. I believe he will be. I believe he's going to sign a deal. I think they're going to get it done, and it's going to happen. I'm not worried at all about it. I know those things happen, and if the Bills believed it would cripple them beyond repair for this season, they would make it. So I'm totally, totally confident James is going to be there and he's going to play."