Golf tourney to benefit American Cancer Society
Event is Sept. 14 at Grand Marais
Robinson is the coordinator for the third annual Metro East Auto Dealers Golf Tournament on Sunday, Sept. 14 at Grand Marais Golf Course, located at Frank Holten State Park in East St. Louis.
"The first tournament was at Tamarack Golf Course (in Shiloh) and the second was at Clinton Hill (in Swansea)," Robinson said. "In 2006, when we were getting ready to hold the first tournament, my dad, the late Frederick Jones, was diagnosed with cancer and I was taking him back and forth to chemo (therapy). He asked me to do a benefit tournament if he passed and my dad passed right before last year's tournament, which was in June."I talked to Amy Slauson (from the Metro East Region of the American Cancer Society) right after the tournament and I asked if I could hold a tournament with the proceeds going to the American Cancer Society to honor my dad's wish."
The tourney is a four-person scramble with a 1:30 p.m. shotgun start. The fee is $70 for golfers (including lunch and dinner) and $20 for non-golfers for dinner. Sponsor signs are $75 and sponsor banners are $125.
"We've gotten a good response from golfers and from sponsors," said Robinson, a UAW worker at the Daimler Chrysler plant in Fenton, Mo. "For the hole-in-one contest, Tri-Star Mercedes has given us a new Mercedes for a two-year lease. The girls from the Fairview Heights Hooters will be there and Izzy the Grizzlie (the mascot of the Gateway Grizzlies) is coming out as a special guest. We also have a company giving 100 free sand wedges to the first 100 paid golfers.
"There are no age limits (for players). I talked to a high school golf coach a couple weeks ago and I told them I'll do my best to reduce (the entry fee) if some of their kids want to play. I want young kids to look toward the future and continue to play golf."
Slauson, whose official title is income development representative, is a staff partner for five of the 15 Relay For Life events that the American Cancer Society holds in the Metro East. When Robinson approached her last year with the idea of a fund-raising golf tournament, she jumped at the chance.
"We're so grateful to Mr. Robinson's desire and willingness to do this," Slauson said. "It's a lot of work to put together and to donate the proceeds to the American Cancer Society.
"We will have a table at the tournament with staff people from the ACS to answer questions and pass out literature, particularly about screenings for prostate cancer and colon cancer."
At the tournament, the ACS staff will also hand out fliers explaining where contribution money goes.
"We call them 'the four pillars' - research, education, advocacy and service," Slauson said. "Most people immediately make the connection between the American Cancer Society and research, but we also work very hard in the areas of education and advocacy. Especially when it comes to patient services, that's something you'll see right in your community, maybe even for a loved one.
"Here in this office (in Maryville) we service six counties in the Metro East. We have people who can come in and get free wigs (after chemotherapy) and there are lots of resources we can help with as far as transportation to and from treatments and 'hope lodges' if they need to travel. We also have all kinds of support groups and counseling for people and we also have all kinds of education programs that we offer to schools and businesses, all free of charge."
For Robinson, the tourney provides a chance to give back to the community, a quality that was instilled in him by his father.
"This is an opportunity not only to honor my father, but all the people that died of cancer," Robinson said. "Because of all the families involved, I want to do a candlelight vigil at 8 p.m. the night of the tournament and we'll put a banner together where for $35 you can put your loved one's name on it. We'll dedicate that banner to the American Cancer Society and see where we go from here. We want to make this an annual tournament every year in this area.
"There is no entry deadline for this tournament, so I'm looking for 130 golfers and I'm looking to raise $5,000 or better for the American Cancer Society. We're also giving non-golfers the opportunity to come in and support the cause.
"We've got some nice trophies donated by the (St. Clair) county board chairman, Mark Kern. Catholic Community Credit Union is providing the lunch for the golfers. We're having a party for all the sponsors on Sept. 21 at Shenanigan's Sports Bar & Grill, 6401 W. Main St. in Belleville. We'll have a live band and we'll be watching a Rams game. All the food is paid for and there will a cash bar. If anyone wants to write a check to the American Cancer Society, they can do it right there on the spot."
Robinson's father was a military veteran and Robinson hopes that the military will be represented at the tournament.
"A lot of my dad's treatment was at Scott Air Force Base," Robinson said. "He died at the age of 73 and he saw a lot in his life. He retired from the East St. Louis post office as a mail carrier, so he stayed in the government field."
To sign up for the tournament or for more information, contact Robinson at (618) 447-7253 or WeGolf4Cancer@yahoo.com. The tournament Web site is http://www.golfdigestplanner.com/5135-MetroEast/
To enter by mail, make checks payable to Metro East Car Dealer 3rd Annual Golf Tournament, P.O. Box 1309, Alorton, IL, 62207.
