ASHFoundation Donors and Sponsors Tee Off to Raise Funds for Research and Education!

Stars Flight first-place winners Howard Goldstein, Bernard Rousseau, and Ed Stone, who played with LPGA pro Nicole Hage.

Thirty-five corporate, nonprofit, and individual sponsors, along with 60 golfers and touring Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) members, gathered at the ChampionsGate Golf Resort near Orlando, Florida, January 17–18 for a weekend of fun and fundraising at the ASHFoundation's 12th charity golf benefit.

Jim Remy, president of the Professional Golfers Association (PGA), welcomed the attendees and acknowledged his pleasure to be supporting the professional charity of his wife, speech-language pathologist Darlene Remy. As the featured speaker at the pre-tournament Pairing Dinner Party, Jim Remy noted that the PGA has 28,000 members who are involved in the sport of golf and charity, including well-known players Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. He called special attention to ASHA's 130,000 members, including his wife, who truly make a difference in people's lives.

Remy noted that he has witnessed the importance of the work of communication sciences and disorders professionals through Darlene's interaction with thousands of students; through the efforts of SLPs who helped his father when he lost his ability to speak after a traumatic brain injury; and those who helped his friend and fellow PGA member, Jeff Julian, whose speech was affected by Lou Gehrig's disease. He applauded this year's golf benefit sponsors and players for choosing to step up and participate in the event.

Champions Flight first-place winners Susan Fass, Ginny Jennings, Kristen Martin and Barbara McArthur, playing with LPGA pro Becky Iverson.

Remy concluded by presenting two items for the evening's live auction: an official 2008 PGA Championship flag, signed by last year's champion Padraig Harrington, and two week-long passes to the 2009 PGA Championship, which will take place in August at Minnesota's Hazeltine National Gold Club.

The highlight of the weekend was the golf tournament. An LPGA professional played with each foursome, a unique feature that sets this tournament apart from other similar events. The ASHFoundation was especially pleased to have LPGA pro Suzy Whaley return to coordinate the pro player field. Whaley was the first woman in 58 years to qualify for a PGA tour event when she qualified for the 2003 Greater Hartford Open. Other LPGA members who appeared at this year's benefit included Audra Burks, Becky Iverson, Heather Daly Donofrio, Carri Wood, Michelle McGann, and Emily Bastel. Many of the pros also attended the Pairings Dinner Party, offering golfers a special opportunity to mingle and network the evening before the tournament.

The longest-drive winners were Anthony LaPella, Chuck Cochran, Henry Greenwood, and Judy LeDuc. Closest-to-the-pin winners were Dick Freeman, Darlene Remy, Beki Gottfred, and Barbara McArthur.