Magnolia Landing to host second annual Rally for the Cure golf event
On Saturday, Feb. 6, a popular local event will again take place for a great cause.
The second annual Susan G. Komen Rally for the Cure golf event will take place at The Golf Club at Magnolia Landing. Besides the golf event, there will be a big after-party with an auction and more.
“We started this event to raise funds for our Pink Magnolia Walk Team,” said Rally Ambassador/Co-Chairman SWFL Susan G. Komen 2010 Race for the Cure Monica Phillips Young. “Seventy-five percent of all proceeds stay in Southwest Florida, which is important.”
The Walk Team will then participate in the Komen Southwest Florida Race For The Cure that will be held March 13 at Coconut Point Mall. “Desperate Housewives” lead actor James Denton has been named the Southwest Florida Race For The Cure Honorary Race Chair.
Denton lost his mother to breast cancer.
“Last year, we were one of the top teams in Southwest Florida for fund raising by a small organization, and seventh in overall fund raising for the entire event,” Young said.
At the Magnolia event, one of the big draws will be a raffle drawing for a colorful flamingo quilt, produced by an artists group that meets there.
“The Magnolia Artisans, led by Jane Rainey, produced the flamingo quilt,” said Young.
It’s a special quilt reflecting a special team. Young said they are looking for more members. “We need women to participate in the walking part of the event, too. You have the option of a one-mile or three-mile easy walk for the March event.”
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.
One new message from officials there this year includes the fact that men can get breast cancer, too.
“We’re more than thrilled to host the golf event for this good cause,” said Magnolia Landing General Manager Brian Wasser. “Last year we raised over $9,000, and this year we’re hoping to go above and beyond that.”
Many residents and club members work on the event.
“The events are successful because we’re really fortunate to have these residents support it – they make it successful,” Wasser said.
Head Golf Pro Aaron Sustad said he’s happy to be part of the event.
“For me, it is personal. My grandmother is a survivor of breast cancer,” he said. “This has meaning to me to be able to raise money for anyone who has cancer.”
He said golfers won’t be disappointed with the golf event.
“The golf course is probably one of the best in this area, a championship course that’s very challenging.”
Registration for the Feb. 6 golf event will start at 11:30 a.m. with a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Later in the day a reception, cocktail party and the silent auction and raffle to raise more funds will be held.
If you don’t golf, you can still attend the after party. There’s also a new jewelry collection at the club.
“A group member has a daughter who is a designer – Julie Allison. She designed and created a unique line of jewelry called the Magnolia Collection,” Young said. “It is necklaces, earrings and bracelets that reflect the theme. Proceeds from sale of the jewelry will go to the Komen cause.”
The fee for the golf event, box lunch and reception are $100 and for the after party $50.
Magnolia Landing is welcoming golfers, hole sponsors and people to attend the silent auction, and will accept donations. For information/registration contact The Pro Shop at 543-4146.
For the March walk, there is a new incentive program to raise funds.
“We realized that out of the people that choose to participate, only 10 percent were raising any funds. To make it easy, we are going to ask that they ask 10 people to sponsor them for $10. That way we’ll meet our goal,” said Young.
For more information on Rally for the Cure, call 498-0016 or visit the Web site rallyforthecure.com.