Community Corner
Golf Tournament To Help Kids with Burn Injuries
The Sept. 19 event benefits Champ Camp
Now in its 29th year, the Diamond Bar Chapter of the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation Charity Golf Tournament has raised thousands upon thousands of dollars for young campers.
“It’s just a great thing,” said organizer Ken Hewett of Diamond Bar. “It touches my heart.”
The Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to preventing burns and fires and providing services to those affected by burn injuries. It is named in honor of Alisa Ann Ruch, an eight-year-old girl who was fatally injured in a backyard barbecue accident.
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Every year, all proceeds from the tournament benefit Champ Camp, held in June in northern California for burn survivors between the ages of 5 and 16.
“The most special thing is that we pretty much bring in every child in the state of California that wants to attend camp,” Hewett said. “Now we’re even bringing in some kids from Mexico and Canada, who would never have had an opportunity to come otherwise. They leave with all kinds of stuff, and can’t wait to come back next year.”
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The Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation does more than provide kids with a place to get away; it also helps their peers comprehend what they have been through.
“Every charity is wonderful, but burns are really horrible, especially for children,” Hewett said. “It’s a tough ordeal in school. We provide education and prevention, and go into the schools to train the students for when kids come back. We let them understand that they won’t look the same, and what they endured.”
The tournament will be held at the Via Verde Country Club Monday, September 19, with registration starting at 9:30 a.m. An entry fee of $175 is collected per person, which includes golf, cart, t-shirt, tee package, and dinner. Trophies will be presented to first and second place, men’s and mixed teams, men’s and women’s closet to the pin, and men’s and women’s longest drive.
Anyone interested in providing prizes or items to stuff into bags is more than welcome to step up and donate.
“We are always looking for more sponsors,” Hewett said.
Last year, the tournament raised $20,000, all of which went directly to Camp Champ.
“We get out there and raise a lot of money,” Hewett said.
