The lasting legacy of NY Islanders legend Clark Gillies is still growing

More than four and a half years after the passing of New York Islanders legend Clark Gillies, the charitable foundation he created continues to expand its impact across Long Island.

The Clark Gillies Foundation held its annual Golf Invitational this week, bringing together Islanders alumni, NHL legends and supporters for a two-day fundraising event that included a celebrity reception, dinner and golf at Huntington Crescent Club and Indian Hills Country Club.

Founded in 1998, the foundation provides financial, developmental and emotional assistance to children and families facing extraordinary challenges.

The event's continued growth has been especially meaningful for Gillies' family.

"We're just so happy that it's continuing," Pam Gillies told Newsday's Ben Dickson. "We thought maybe after Clark passed it would kind of die down, but it's only gotten bigger actually. And everybody loved him, of course."

Before launching his own foundation, Gillies had spent years volunteering with numerous charitable organizations. Eventually, he decided he wanted to create something that could make a lasting difference in his own community.

More than 25 years later, that vision continues to thrive.

Former Islanders teammate Butch Goring said supporting the foundation is a way to honor both Gillies' memory and his compassion. "I think if everybody had half as much compassion as Clark Gillies had for kids and trying to help them out, the world would be a better place," Goring told Newsday. "I'm here to support him, and I miss him dearly. But this is my way of remembering him."

Gillies' accomplishments on the ice earned him a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame and forever secured his place in Islanders history. The foundation that bears his name has ensured his legacy continues to be measured not only by Stanley Cups but also by the lives he continues to impact.

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