ANDREA GALABINSKI Artists and staff prepare for Magnolia Landings Rally for the Cure event. PIctured are Joan McGrath, Magnolia Landing owner Herbert Lawson, Debbie Christian, Mary Rudolf, Jane Rainey, Elena McMahon, Barbara Ballinger, Carolyn Rowe, Monica Stone, Eunice Alger, Clubhouse General Manager Jim Whitmore, Restaurant Manager Brian Schoof, Membership Director Ashlee Heine and Lynn Lebida.

A group of local artisans have been working on a special quilt to be part of a special event at The Golf Club at Magnolia Landing.

“It’s all for Rally for the Cure,” said Ashlee Heine, membership/activities director for Magnolia Landing. “This is our inaugural rally event and tournament.”

Rally for the Cure is a breast cancer awareness campaign that is the nation’s largest grassroots women’s golf program. More than 1.4 million people have participated in Rally for the Cure events since the program launched in 1996.

The mission of Rally for the Cure is to emphasize the importance of early detection in the successful treatment of breast cancer and to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help eliminate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease.

According to Komen for the Cure, each year breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women ages 35-54, and the disease also accounts for more than 75 percent of all cancer deaths in women 55 years of age and older.

The Magnolia Landing Artisans have been working on a special quilt for Rally for the Cure.

“Breast cancer has effected many of those in our community and this is our way of raising money for breast cancer care and education,” said Heine.

The golf tournament will be held on Saturday, Feb. 7, with a 1 p m. shotgun start. “Following that is a cocktail party and silent auction to raise more funds,” she said. “The auction will raise money for our local chapter, the Southwest Florida Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Besides the entry fee, any extra money we raise through hole sponsorships, raffle prizes and silent auction will go directly to the Foundation.”

As part of the Rally for the Cure golf activities, a closest-to-the-pin contest will held at a designated par-3 Rally hole. Titleist golf balls bearing the pink ribbon breast cancer awareness symbol will be awarded to every player who hits the green on the first swing and a prize is given to the player whose shot lands nearest to the hole. All players will receive important early detection information, an exclusive Rally pink ribbon golf pin and are entitled to a one-year subscription to a Cond Nast Publications magazine, said Cure representatives in a prepared statement.

Pink is the signature color for the program, and the focus of a beautiful quilt now being finished by a group of women who meet weekly at the Magnolia Landing Clubhouse. They are known as the Magnolia Landing Artisans Group. “We gather once a week to work on projects, and we all have different interests, not just quilting,” said member Jane Rainey. “Some are painters, beaders, different types of artists and we get together. We welcome anyone, the only requirement is that you buy lunch at the clubhouse.”

Member Monica Young said she volunteered as the Magnolia Landing Ambassador for Susan G. Komen Rally for the Cure event because it is so important of a cause.

New dad and staff member Chris Dalton displays the quilt the group made him for his new arrival.

“We’ve been hit very hard by breast cancer and other women’s cancers in our community. This is a way of showing support for people currently undergoing treatment.”

Young said they are also inviting everyone to a walking event March 14.

“It will benefit the Southwest Florida Chapter of Susan G. Komen. The monies stay local, this is very specific for women in our immediate area.”

The quilt is almost complete.

“Judy Jessop of Heron’s Glen will be actually finishing the quilt, doing the long-arm quilting for us,” said member Jane Rainey.

Besides Young and Rainey, other members of the group include Joan McGrath, Debbie Christian, Mary Rudolf, Elena McMahon, Barbara Ballinger, Carolyn Rowe, Eunice Alger and Lynn Lebida.

The group also makes a quilt for all Magnolia Landing Clubhouse staff who have new arrivals. New dad Chris Dalton was recently presented with his.

Of the artists group, Magnolia Landing General Manager Jim Whitmore said, “We love having this group here. We’re also happy to do everything we can do to support this cause with this event.”

Magnolia Landing is welcoming golfers, hole sponsors and people to attend the silent auction, and will accept donations. For information, call Heine at 543-4146.

For more information on Rally for the Cure, call 800-327-6811 or visit the Web site rallyforthecure.com.