67°
SOMERS, N.Y. -- Wednesday's usual Ladies' Day at the Somers Pointe Golf Club in Heritage Hills was devoted this week to the West Hill Women's Golf Association's annual charity outing. This year's beneficiary was P.I.N.K. (Prevention, Immediate Diagnosis, New Technology, Knowledge), an organization devoted to raising funds for breast cancer research.
"Not everybody who participated was a member of the association," said Nancy Heilman, the events chairperson. "But almost everybody was from Somers." Sometimes men join in, but this year's crowd was all women -- 54 of them, ranging in age from the 20s to the 80s.
The tournament was structured on a "shotgun start" basis, where teams tee off simultaneously from different holes. Eventually everybody gets to play every hole. Each team of four has players of varying skills, so that teams are evenly matched.
Local businesses and individuals pitched in to sponsor individual holes on the course. Money was also raised through raffles. "Local merchants were exceptionally good to us this year," said Heilman. "We give prizes for the 1st and 2nd place winners, but they're modest prizes. The whole point of the tournament is the charity. Last year we raised over $10,000."
The association has focused on different charities over the years. This is the second year running that they have played for P.I.N.K. Heilman noted that, "so many of our lives in the Association have been touched by breast cancer."
The Daily Somers caught up with Ann Bellantoni, Sheila O'Connor and Fran Knubel, all of Somers, and Patricia Tyrell, of Goldens Bridge, playing together as a team. They were all dressed in pink, as were most of the golfers. "When we Play for P.I.N.K. we're playing for people we don't know, but we're especially playing for people we know," said Knubel. "One woman from the club just passed away last week."
Play for P.I.N.K. is a grassroots organization which helps people organize sporting and lifestyle events in return for donations to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. All sorts of events qualify: golf, tennis, swimming, bowling, riding -- even wine tastings, bocce ball and card games.
Click here to follow Daily Voice North Salem and receive free news updates.
