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Issue 36
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March 23rd, 2011
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This Newsletter sponsored by VedaloHD
VedaloHD is pleased to announce their continuing relationship as the exclusive eyewear supplier of Caddy For A Cure. VedaloHD is a leader in high definition lens technology offering the first lens that greatly increases the ability for the eye to see the entire color spectrum. View their entire line at www.vedalohd.com |
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Golf's Greatest Hero with Three American Heroes
 Caddy For A Cure is deeply humbled each and every time we get to meet an American hero through our alignment with Birdies for the Brave. To be with FOUR on one day is really beyond words.
Jack Nicklaus, the greatest golfer of all time, recently gave three wounded warriors the day of a golf lifetime at the prestigious Honda Classic in Florida. Sgt. Randy Nantz, Cpt. Ben Baar, and Steve Kupcha Navy SEAL (ret.), were treated to an up close and personal experience with Mr. Nicklaus, and while watching closely, we cannot confirm who was more impressed. The awe from all angles was obvious and inspirational.  To be able to thank these brave men through golf and the PGA TOUR is what makes us tick, indeed. Seeing amputee Sgt. Nantz carrying the bag off the first tee and for many holes following made us all do an instant patriotic check of our internal red, white, and blue. We are quite certain that many of the fans who showed up that day felt the same way.
We cannot thank Mr. Jack Nicklaus enough for the day he  bestowed on these brave men. As with the millions of golf fans who recognize what an incredible gentleman he has been for decades in the highest levels of the sport, in our opinion, this day was simply over the top incredible. Thank you to all the friends at the Nicklaus organization for their assistance, as well as to the great people at the Honda Classic: Ken Kennerly, Ed McEnroe, Russ Evans, Bill Decker, Brent Waugh, Andrew George, and many more. All photos shown here are courtesy of Jim Mandeville, in true Nicklaus form, one of the classiest men in the business!
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Tim Tebow "Caddy's For A Cure"
We have all heard and seen the press about Tim Tebow and his accomplishments on the football field. And while Caddy For A Cure cannot personally testify about Tim's football skills, we can testify that Tim Tebow is one incredible young man. Caddy For A Cure friend Dave Bowen, who graciously donated for the experience to spend a day with Tim at the Honda Classic, will concur, and then some.
Tim and Dave had an incredible time together during the Honda Classic Pro-Am in the impressive playing group of Jack Nicklaus, Jason Taylor, and Kenny G. Adding to the day's experience for Dave was having his children Blair and Dylan join him inside the ropes during the round. For Dave and his family, who very well could bleed orange and blue, spending the day with former Florida Gator Tebow and watching the make-shift "swamp" of Gator fans trying to get a close-up glimpse of him was beyond incredible. In their words, their desire to help others with their donation resulted in a day that was more fun and meaningful than they imagined; a day they will never forget.
When Tim holed out on 18 for a birdie it may have been the highlight of the day for Dave as they both leaped into the air at the end of a perfect day of golf, fun, and charity.
Dave has been a long time friend and supporter of Caddy For A Cure. To see him enjoying this day and knowing his heart for helping so many others epitomized our dreams of connecting golf and caddying to charity.
If you are a fan of Tim Tebow's or not, you can certainly understand how thrilling it would be to spend a day with one of your favorite athletes in sport. To the Bowen's, it was truly a day in "Gator heaven" as described by Dave's lovely wife, Angel. She is a cancer survivor which makes this special family portrait all the more special.
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Focus on Fanconi
October 28th, 2008, was a day that will forever be etched in  the memories of Tom and Mary Eileen Cleary. That was the day their 7 year old daughter Tara was officially diagnosed with Fanconi Anemia. There are simply no words to describe the devastation, the spinning in the room, the fast-moving, sickening thoughts of hearing what having FA means when revealed to unsuspecting and loving parents.
The good news was the Cleary family received a wonderful Christmas present. Their other daughter, Brenna, was a match for a bone marrow transplant. Tara had a chance with a sibling match! The family barely had time to adjust or learn about FA as Tara's counts steadily dropped. She never really showed any signs of failure as her counts declined to a point of failure and the inevitable marrow transplant.
She receiv ed her transplant on July 27th, 2009, at the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital. The team there did an incredibly great job, and Tara survived the ordeal to be transferred out to the Ronald McDonald House on Day 18.
Tara's perseverance and gutsy attitude have been a blessing to many. She is so tough and determined she has been an inspiration to all that come in contact with her. To hear about this sweet girl experiencing biopsies in the morning and then ear piercings in the afternoon, well, what more can you say for determination?
Please, pray for the Cleary family and sweet Tara as she continues with her life post transplant. We know they welcome your support and thoughts.
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World's Top 3 Ranked Players to Caddy For A Cure
We are thrilled to announce that for the first time in Caddy For A Cure history, the current world ranked #1, #2 and #3 players are "caddying for a cure" in 2011. World #1 Martin Kaymer, World #2 Lee Westwood, and World #3 Luke Donald make up this incredible trio and great testimony to the charitable nature of golf as they offer their bags up for fans to carry for a day with Caddy For A Cure.
Martin Kaymer's bag is available at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte. Lee Westwood's bag is available in Memphis at the FedEx St Judes, and Luke Donald participated last month at the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF THE PLAYERS AVAILABLE NOW
Caddy Mark Madden with Luke Donald, escorted by Sgt. Mike Garcia
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Greetings!
Running this charity has been a dream come true for not only us, but to the many "caddies" we have had through the years. It is such a great thing to look into the eyes of the people who participate and see the pure excitement they are experiencing as they stand next to and meet many of the best players in the world. It is a place that many can only dream about being, and we recognize that.
While we are out there doing our absolute best to insure an incredible experience, it is impossible for us to ever lose sight of why we are there. Hearing about another FA child who has left this earth, or seeing another warrior who will live their life here on earth bruised and tattered, is a stark reminder as to why we "caddy for a cure."
We lost one of our staunchest supporters this past week after a two year battle with colon cancer. She and her husband have been some of the most loyal friends that any person or organization could ever hope for. They encouraged us so much at the beginning to start this program, to keep going, to keep  trusting, to never stop with our quest to help, not knowing that they themselves would go through their own battle against this horrible cancer. To watch them go through what they did, as many of you have experienced in your own lives, we proudly proclaim and ask that you "caddy for a cure" yourselves.
We thank you Judge Brenda Burnham Unruh...you were an inspiration that meant so much to so many in the world of golf. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Russ Holden PGA
Caddy for a Cure Founder
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