LAKEVILLE — It’s a potato gun, essentially, said Steve Dakan, of Wareham, as he loaded the air cannon with another bright yellow golf ball. 

With the ability to shoot up to 400 yards, Dakan said the cannon was set up for the exact distance of the hole — approximately 225 yards.

Golfers had the opportunity to shoot the cannon at the annual Knights of Columbus Fr. John F. Hogan Council #14236 golf tournament held at Heritage Hill in Lakeville on Sunday, Aug. 11 — closest to the pin won a prize.

Dakan works for Leadership Board, which helps nonprofits fundraise on their event days, and ran the air cannon station to raise some additional funds. 

“It’s about having fun and doing a little fundraising,” he said. 

Tony Rose, co-chair of the golf tournament committee, would agree, highlighting the tournament as the Knights’ “biggest fundraiser of the year.”

When the tournament began approximately five years ago, the goal was to reach $5,000. Having reached over $7,100 last year, Rose said the goal this year was $7,500, with the expectation they should have no problem surpassing last year’s amount.

Approximately 80% of the profits raised by the organization will go to local charities, including  the Cindy Fund, Veterans Transition Home and Child and Family Services, according to Rose.

The remainder of the funds will be set aside for Knights facing any hardships. Rose said, “We just had a gentleman that had a stroke and he needed a ramp built, and we contributed man labor and some money for the filling of the ramp.”

Additionally, the organization will help cover funeral costs for Knights who cannot, Rose said.

Various organizations and businesses donated to the tournament and raffles, including Shaw’s, which made the Knights its charity of the month for September. 

“So in lieu of a $25 gift card, they are giving us 33% of the proceeds of their charity bag program,” Rose said. “We hope to get several $100 out of that.”

The tournament continues to grow every year, hitting its maximum of 84 golfers this year with an additional waiting list. Rose said this means the Knights may have to consider a bigger venue in the future. 

“It's almost like you get too big for your own breeches,” he said. “Right now, we're kind of at the tipping point — that's a good problem to have.”

At the air cannon station, Dartmouth’s Paul Chamberlain said he joined his friends in the tournament for the first time this year. 

“You come across a great combination of fun golf and great characters,” Chamberlain said of the event. “There’s nothing better than spending a Sunday afternoon in support of a great charity.”

Dartmouth’s Rick Jalbert, who has been doing the tournament for years, said the organizer, Bill Boles, was playing in his tournament the following day, “so it’s kind of a reciprocal deal.”

Jalbert said he loves the combination of competition, comradery and charity.

“The Knights of Columbus do a lot of good things for the community so we like to support them, too,” he added.

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal organization founded in 1882. The Dartmouth council currently has 86 members, but welcomes more and is currently recruiting young Knights, Rose said.

It's a “great” way to get together with “like-minded people” for the common goal of giving back to the community, he said.

Rose added, “It's a labor of love.”