Local and nationally known sports legends and Hall of Famers are making arrangements to meet in Boothbay for the 24th annual Boothbay Charities Classic golf tournament, lobster bake, and sports auction. Sept. 26 and 27 are the dates for this exciting event and all proceeds will go to benefit Special Olympics Maine. Whether it’s football, baseball, hockey, racing or golf, we will likely have something for the sports fan in you.

The festivities will kick off on Friday afternoon with a New England lobster and clam bake with the participating celebrities. If you are playing golf the cost of the lobster bake is included in your entrance fee. The public is welcome to purchase tickets to the lobster bake and auction by calling Brenda Blackman at 207-633-6280.

A silent sports auction will be available for public viewing and bidding from 4 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26 at the Railway Village Meeting Hall (results will be announced later that evening). All fans are welcome. The lobster bake will take place under the big tent at the Railway Village on Friday afternoon at 4 and is a great opportunity for the public to mix and mingle with the celebrities. Chicken is also available.

Some of the items collected for the 2014 sports auction include: Autographed bat from Red Sox Hall of Famer Jim Rice; autographed football by the NCAA's only two-time Heisman trophy winner Archie Griffin; autographed 2007 World Series Red Sox jersey by David "Big Papi" Ortiz; and autographed Boston Bruins jersey by Ray Bourque.

Celebrities attending the 2014 golf tournament will include: Bob Allietta of the California Angels and Cleveland Indians, Bob Capadona of the Patriots and Buffalo Bills, Ken Hodge from the Bruins, Peter Ladd, Stump Merrill, Steve Minich, Dot Petty, Scott Price, Oakland Raider Otis Sistrunk, Tom Stephens, Robin Cole of the Pittsburgh Steelers, John Kameisha, Dave O’Brien of the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals, Don Marcotte, Wayne Soares, Roger Wehrli, Butch Byrd, Gerhard Schwedes, Gino Cappalletti and Pete Banaszak. This list will be updated as the event gets closer.

Team openings and limited individual golfer positions are available for Saturday mornings golf tournament, which includes guaranteed pairing with a celebrity, an awesome goodie bag provided by tournament sponsors, and a seat at Friday nights lobster bake and sports auction. If you are interested in participating please contact Brenda Blackman at 207-633-6280 or call Ken Marston at 207-350-6203. You can also call these numbers if you are just interested in the lobster bake. The sports auction is open to the public at no charge.

Businesses and individuals willing to make donations, volunteer time, or to participate in the tournament are extremely appreciated, and crucial to the continued success of this event. Major sponsorships as well as individual hole and tee sponsorships are also available. For more information please contact Brenda at the above mentioned number. If you wish to donate an item to the auction please contact Tom Erskine at 207-633-6103.

Special Olympics Maine is a year-round athletic training and competition program for children and adults with intellectual disabilities of all ages. In Maine we have over 3,800 athletes who participate in the program. For more information on Special Olympics Maine please visit www.somaine.org.