Swinging the clubs to help others

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

Watching 60 Minutes this past Sunday about homeless youngsters in Florida hit me from the heart to the belly.

The very thought that young boys and girls around us, more than 300 in the Flagler County school system for example, have to sleep in a truck with parents and eat what they can scavenge. That was enough to say, “Hey, get off your rump and do your share.”

So off went with a check for $75, as you can do, for the 11th-annual Jacqueline A. Browne Memorial Golf Tournament, which will take place Aug. 11, at the Pine Course. There’s also another in waiting: the Cooper Ascone Golf Tourney on Aug. 20, at Grand Haven.

What will this do for the homeless youngsters among us? It will give them and their families a badly needed boost and many children around us might actually begin to smile again.

The Grand Haven tournament benefits Cooper Ascone, a 2-year-old boy born with Shone’s complex, an extremely rare syndrome.

The left side of his heart is enlarged. His parents are Tom and Jennifer. Tom is a Palm Coast firefighters.
Cooper is a very special and extremely brave boy, and his family needs our help now.

We can all put a smile on a little boy’s face by forwarding a $75 check to Jess Forte at Grand Haven, 500 River Front Drive, Palm Coast, Fla. 32137. This is the tournament fee.

The money will be a blessing because the cost of Cooper’s medication alone puts a dent in the family’s finances. It’s estimated at several hundred dollars per month.

As for the Browne tournament, it’s one of the most popular in town and with warm-hearted favorites Harry Davis, Willard Anderson, Carol and Bill Gorham and Ralph Lightfoot running the show, it should be a dandy. These are top-drawer people and love the game of golf to its fullest.

Both tournaments are scrambles — a ton of fun to play because the best ball at each hole is the one for all on the second swing. The Browne tournament proceeds will be used for the education, social and economic development of local minority groups.

So please, consider playing or contribute to either one or both of these causes. We fully guarantee you will have placed an indelible mark on golf and on yourself.