THE SECOND ANNUAL HEART FOR CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT BY NIKKI HOFFMAN
The Kids Sake Foundation is a volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds for pediatric cancer research and treatment while providing financial support to families of children diagnosed with neuroblastoma. One young girl from Florida, Malia Jusczyk, inspired her father to establish the Foundation.
In 2011, local physicians Dr. Jay Shaktawat and Dr. Srinivas Attanti became involved with the Kids Sake Foundation. Eleven years later, after 26 months of battling relapsed cancer, Malia tragically lost her fight. As her mother Megan said, “Malia didn’t tell us how to be brave; she showed us how to be.”
Acknowledging the need for charitable funding, Dr. Shaktawat and Dr. Attanti initiated a project to encourage local physicians and others to join in a fundraising golf tournament at Harbor Hills. They also broadened their efforts to support other charities.
With the assistance of Tom Leimberger, Director of Golf, and Harbor Hills resident Lynn Tracy, the First Annual Heart for Charity Golf Tournament, a 501(C)(3) charity, was held in December. The nearly $10,000 raised was donated to local charities, including Community Health Centers, Combat Veterans to Careers, For Kids Sake Foundation, the Miss Leesburg Scholarship program, The Military Order of the Purple Heart, and Beyond the Walls.
Your help is once again requested for the 2nd Annual Heart for Charity Golf Tournament, scheduled for Saturday, September 27, at the beautiful Harbor Hills Country Club. Both adult and junior golfers are welcome, and sponsorships are also encouraged. The cost is $125.00 payable to Heart for Charity Golf Tournament, Inc. Contact the Pro Shop at 352-753-7711 to reserve your place.
Malia’s fight against a devastating illness reminds us that urgent medical research and support for vital charities are not just a hope; they’re a lifeline. The Heart for Charity project is dedicated to supporting those in need through charity golf tournaments that are fun for both adults and children.