The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

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September 29, 2009

Golfers hit the greens to support the pink cause

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

By Lynn Saternow

MERCER COUNTY — Real men do wear pink.

And they do it with pride at the Lifetime TV Scramble, a unique two-man, two-women team golf event held every year at Tam O’Shanter Golf Course, Hermitage, to raise funds to fight breast cancer.

Pink of course is the color that brings attention to the dread disease that affects so many women – and even some men – every year.

The Lifetime event, under the direction of Kim Kerins, wife of Tamie director of golf John Kerins, is just one of several local golf events that raise money to fight breast cancer.

A lot of national attention was drawn to breast cancer when popular PGA star Phil Mickelson announced this past year that his wife and mother both underwent treatment for breast cancer. He took six weeks off the tour to be with his wife during her surgery, so it was a dramatic moment this past Sunday when he won the Tour Championship tournament.

While great strides have been made in helping people survive breast cancer, there is still a lot of work to be done. And that’s why local golf tournaments continue to support the ongoing push for research on finding a cure.

This summer’s Lifetime Scramble raised about $8,000.

Another big fund-raiser is the Pink Angels Breast Cancer Benefit Scramble, held annually at the Greens of Greenville. The proceeds help breast cancer victims.

Connie McMullen, one of the organizers of the event, reported that this year’s event brought out 144 golfers and raised about $15,000 for the Pink Angel Fund. She pointed out that all of the profits stay local and are used by area women who need help in fighting the dread disease.

Another great fund-raising event was held at Oak Tree Country Club this summer – the “Rally for the Cure.” Forty-four golfers teed up to raise $2,000 for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure event.

When Susan Komen was dying from breast cancer, her sister Nancy Brinker that she would help to end breast cancer and in 1982 launched the global breast-cancer movement. Golf tournaments are held around the country in her name.

While these tournaments don’t offer big prizes, they bring out the players who are willing to donate for a worthy cause.

And even the men look “Pretty in Pink.”

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