31°
DARIEN, Conn. Tim Brown and Al Smith met hitting golf balls at the Wee Burn Country Club driving range when both were in the early stages of treatment for cancer. "It was really just about the only physical activity we could handle," said Brown. The pair struck up a friendship, and two years later, when they had a chance to use their love of golf to raise money, they jumped at it.
They staged their first benefit golf marathon in the fall of 1988 with players trying to get in as many rounds as possible during the course of a long day. Since their golf games were far from PGA caliber, they dubbed their event Hackers for Hope. With the help of Bob Rex and Dr. Michael Moore, they put the event together in three weeks and raised $47,000. "I thought, if we can do that in three weeks, imagine what we could do with more time," said Brown. The answer has been nothing less than astounding. In the intervening time, the annual event has raised $10 million, helping support cancer research and treatment at the Bennett Cancer Center at Stamford Hospital and at Memorial Sloan Kettering and St. Vincent's in New York.
But just as important as the fundraising is the support and aid the group provides to cancer patients. "When you get that diagnosis, it's a very scary time," said Brown. "You want to start fighting it immediately. Through our work, we've become well-connected with some of the best facilities and doctors, and can get people to the right place sooner."
Eventually, the golf marathon added a dinner dance following the long day of play, with a silent auction that has raised additional money. The hackers usually hit the course at 5:30 as the first rays of sunlight come through the trees, and finish in the gloaming, often getting in 100 to 150 holes of golf. "We've had the gamut of players, from scratch golfers to hackers," said Brown. They've also experienced a full range of weather, too. "Last year it poured the whole day," Brown recalled. "It was like the scene from 'Caddyshack.'"
But like the mailmen, no weather deters the hackers from their appointed rounds, and as a result, the real deluge has been funds in the fight against cancer.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.
