Golfers rally for a cure for breast cancer

LAURIE - About 160 people who have been affected by breast cancer and a love of golf gathered on the links recently to show their support for finding a cure.

The 12th Annual Rally for a Cure 'Tee Off Against Breast Cancer' Golf Tournament was played Monday at Indian Rock Golf Club.

'It's just a good day for all of us to get out here and have a good time, relax and enjoy the whole atmosphere. It's a perfect cause. We enjoy it all,' Valery Frazier of Laurie said. 'My mom died of breast cancer about six years ago and it's a good time for all of us to get together. And it's a good cause. Anytime that we can help out. It's a wonderful opportunity. It really is.'

Every year, the event has drawn a bigger crowd, with businesses and individuals donating money to help support breast cancer awareness and research through proceeds given to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Coordinated by the Indian Rock Ladies Golf Association, the field was separated into three divisions ' men's, women's and co-ed ' with a raffle, a silent auction and prizes given away following 18 holes of golf.

Winning the women's division was Peg Seifner, Wanda Elsea, Judy Schroeder and Olive Malter of Marshall with a 63. Malter is a former Missouri Women's Golf Association president and has played the game 31 years.

'We were just chipping them in there close and hit several long putts. You have to putt to make a low score,' Malter said. 'We were in and out of rain all day. We were in the rain gear, out of the rain gear, in the rain gear, out of the rain gear. We just had them clicking on all fours today. It was good.'

Malter is friends with Seasons Ridge Intercity player Jeannie Hindman and has an acquaintance presently battling the disease the golfers were playing to defeat.

'My friend's niece is fighting it right now and that's why we came, really, in honor of her, and that's why we played in it every year, in honor of her,' Malter said. 'And then we lost another ' she lost her sister to cancer. Personally, my family has had no cancer yet, but you know, it's a horrible thing. How much money do you have to throw at something before you can fix it?'

The men's division was won by Phil Keeney, Younis Adam, Henry Byer and Gary Irwin of Indian Rock with a 58.

Men have just recently joined in the benefit. Husbands have even fell in line with their wives in working toward a cure.

'This is the first time. It was fun,' Brad Bryant of Sunrise Beach said. 'My wife got involved with the Koman foundation after her mother died a couple of years ago and she entered me. We shot 8-under 64. I played here a few times. I hit the fairways.'

The Bryants belong to Sycamore Creek.

'We have like 20 more golfers this year than we had last year. Men are afflicted with breast cancer as well,' Brad's wife Chris said. 'It affects everybody. It doesn't matter who you talk to, everybody has a story.

'Debbie Glickley was the chair for this and she's with the Indian Rock golf course. We're just honing in on her space. We're just cutting into this event to raffle the quilt. She was gracious enough to let us do that.'

In all, 12 courses contributed rounds of golf to the cause.

Courses donating rounds of golf included Bayview, Eldon, Lake Valley, Lebanon, Rolling Hills, Sycamore Creek, Dogwood Hills, Tan-Tar-A, Old Kinderhook, Bear Creek Valley, Osage National and Porto Cima.

Glickley chaired the event for the first time after she picked up the game three years ago.

'We had 160 players. We raised more than $6,000 just in hole sponsors alone. That doesn't include what we're going to make off the silent auctions. We did a lot of canvasing,' Glickley said. 'I went to Jeff City, Versailles, Camdenton ' it was just a lot of time, to go to different places and asked for their donations. I've been working on it for about three months, I guess.

'A lot of my good friends are survivors, and I have a real good friend that recently had a mastectomy and I support this 100 percent. It's real important to me, because I do have a lot of friends that have had it.'

Winning the co-ed division was Glickley, Mike Maurer, Jerry Clark and Larry DeVantier with a 59.

Devantier, a member of the Rolling Hills' Intercity League championship team, was playing in his first Rally tournament at Indian Rock.

'We had a pretty good afternoon,' he said. 'The team was very good. Everybody contributed and that was the main thing with these types of formats, everybody contributes and has a good time. The other team we played with was very amicable and we had a good time.'

Devantier praised Glickey for her efforts in running the event.

'I've know Debbie and Debbie has talked to me a lot,' Devanier said. 'She's a good delegator and organizer. Sometimes she takes on a little bit too much herself, but people tend to do that. She did a heck-of-a-job here today. Everything went real smooth, I thought.'

Placing second in the men's division was Hugh Smith, Vic Burkhart, Buck Burkhart and Jeff LaHay of Laurie.

'We had a few good putts. It was definitely a scramble,' Smith said. 'My mother-in-law died of cancer ... anything to help them out. That's what it takes. You've got to have a lot of money to help out the people. That's what it's all about. The more people, the better off they are.'

All four par-3 holes were used in hole-in-one contests, sponsored by Cadle McGrew Chevrolet of Versailles. Winning longest drive on No. 2 was Lynne Furnell. Closest-to-pin on No. 7 was Seifner. Phil Kostelac had longest drive on No. 9. Longest putt on No. 11 went to Larry Passage. Buck Burkhart was closest on his second shot at No. 13. Closest-to-pin on 15 and 17 went to Seifner and Sue Dauner, respectively. Straightest drive on No. 18 was made by Clemins.

Golfers who have survived breast cancer were also given special recognition following the procedings.

Funds raised should reach five figures again this year. In 2004, the Rally had 116 players on hand and raised more than $10,000.

source : lakesunleader.com