Vol. 12, No. 2, November 2015
Recognition, Inspiration and News from the Sunshine Through Golf Foundation
Three of a Kind By Casey Richards
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There are just great people around golf all of the time.”
The reason all three have been such willing participants is simple.
That’s how Glen Oak Country Club head golf professional Danny Mulhearn explains the growth of the Sunshine Through Golf Foundation’s Sunshine Camp program to 92 camps throughout the District, three of which have ties to him.
“It does more for us than it does for the campers,” Mulhearn said.
Mulhearn’s camp at Glen Oak is one of the Foundation’s longest-running, as he was one of the first to adopt the program in its early stages. When Jim Sutherland, Mulhearn’s assistant pro, left for St. Charles Country Club in 2007, it didn’t take long for him to start a camp of his own. And when Curtis Malm left Sutherland’s side for White Eagle in 2014, he started a camp without hesitation as well.
Danny Mulhearn – Glen Oak Country Club When CDGA Past President and Glen Oak member Steve Becker approached Mulhearn with the idea of hosting a camp, it was an easy decision for Mulhearn to participate. “We just jumped on it as soon as he asked if we’d be willing to do it,” Mulhearn recalled. Mulhearn and his staff, Sutherland included, developed a program that, while still featuring
golf instruction, is more about providing a fun experience that can be enjoyed by each individual participant. “First and foremost, we want the kids to come out,” Mulhearn said, “whether it’s for the golf or for the social atmosphere, just to get away from the normal day for them.” Danny Mulhearn Mulhearn’s estimation is that the Glen Oak camp has featured primarily younger kids mostly between the ages of 10 and 13. While Sutherland hasn’t been with Glen Oak since 2007, Mulhearn still remembers how this age group particularly enjoyed interaction with his former assistant. Continued on page 3...
Mulhearn’s (left) Sunshine Camp at Glen Oak was one of the program’s first and precipitated two others at St. Charles and White Eagle
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DON GARDNER It was fitting that Don Gardner received the CDGA Distinguished Service Award at Midwest Golf House – the very building that he worked tirelessly to help fund for the betterment of the game of golf, the CDGA and the Sunshine Through Golf Foundation. A little more than 13 years after he cut the ribbon for the building’s grand opening, Gardner received the prestigious award at the CDGA’s annual meeting in December of 2014, Gardner, fourth from left, was an integral part in the funding of before passing away at the age of 90 on July Midwest Golf House, the Sunshine Through Golf Foundation’s home 21, 2015. Gardner was just the 17th person to receive the award that CDGA Executive Director Robert Markionni said is presented “to individuals who have gone beyond the call.” “That was a way for us to recognize Mr. Gardner for everything he did, not only on the Association side as a board member, an officer and a volunteer, but on the Foundation side as someone who believed in the camps and continually supported the program over the years monetarily and in person,” Markionni explained. “It’s not an award we hand out often, but it’s something that we were very proud to give to him.” Gardner, a member at Exmoor Country Club, began his relationship with the Sunshine Through Golf Foundation and CDGA as a Blue Coat in 1988. He was active in tournament officiating and course ratings, served as vice president of the CDGA from 1993-1999, and was a vital part of the Association’s and Foundation’s capital campaign in the late 1990s to build Midwest Golf House. “When we started a capital campaign in the late 1990s for Midwest Golf House, he was one of the individuals that stepped up with a significant contribution,” Markionni recalled. “He really believed in this concept, the Association and the Foundation. He supported it not only with his time, but also monetarily.” “He put a lot of time and effort into that,” added Gardner’s daughter Anne. “That was a big deal for him. I remember him spending a lot of time trying to get that off the ground.” Even late in life, Gardner continued to support the Foundation in multiple ways. Financially, he was one of the Foundation’s most significant annual givers. He also donated his time, volunteering with Anne at Exmoor’s Sunshine Camp and participating in the 100 Hole Par 3 Golf Marathon. “What it comes down to as much as anything else is the opportunity to give people that might not normally have a chance to play golf the chance to play,” Anne said of her father’s passion for the Foundation. In addition to the Foundation, Gardner donated to the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, Evans Scholars Foundation and Illinois Junior Golf Association. Anne describes her father as “very generous and very thoughtful,” and viewed the game he loved so much as a natural target for his kindness. “Golf was extremely important to him, the fact that there were opportunities for everybody to get interested in the game,” Anne said.
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Commemorative Brick Program
Honor loved ones while contributing to the Foundation through the Commemorative Brick Program! Placed at the front entrance of the Midwest Golf House, 4 x 8 or 8 x 8 inch bricks are available to purchase for $150 and $500, respectively. Visit www.sunshinethroughgolf.org/brickpaver.asp to purchase or for more information.
15th Sunshine Through Golf Foundation Outing
For 14 years, the annual Sunshine Through Golf Foundation Outing has combined a quality golfing experience with charitable giving to provide a memorable day for all involved. The 2016 outing will be held Monday, June 13 at Knollwood Club.
2016 Par 3 Golf Marathon
Enjoy the thrill of playing 100 holes, all for charity, at the 2016 Par 3 Golf Marathon. Zigfield Troy Golf in Woodridge will host the event for the eighth consecutive year on May 14.
Despite his passing, Gardner’s legacy lives on through his contributions to the Sunshine Through Golf Foundation and the game of golf.
The summer of 2015 was a special one for Sunshine athletes, as two Play With a Pro Days were held in conjunction with the Champions Tour’s Encompass Championship and PGA Tour’s BMW Championship. First up were the seniors, who took a break from their preparations at North Shore Country Club to play golf with Sunshine athletes at Westmoreland Country Club. Chip Beck, Russ Cochran, Wayne Levi, John Riegger and Grant Waite all imparted golf wisdom on the athletes in attendance.
Chip Beck
Grant Waite
Brendon de Jonge
William McGirt
A couple months later, the BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club brought the PGA Tour pros back to town. A trio of golfers made their first Play With a Pro Day appearance at Knollwood Club - Zac Blair, Tony Finau and William McGirt - while Brendon de Jonge attended for the second time.
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...continued from page 1 “They gravitated towards Jimmy like they’d known him forever,” Mulhearn said. “He has that magnetism around those kids. They loved coming out and seeing him.” Jim Sutherland – St. Charles Country Club In Sutherland’s second year at St. Charles, another CDGA Past President, Bob Berry, brought up the idea of a St. Charles camp. Due in large part to his past experiences with the program under Mulhearn at Glen Oak, Sutherland was quick to get it started at St. Charles.
Jim Sutherland
“It’s a really rewarding experience,” Sutherland said. “At first, there is some trepidation because you don’t know what you are getting into, but once you start doing it, they’re just great kids and it’s a lot of fun.
“It was a no-brainer, whereas if I hadn’t done it before, I might be unsure of what it entails.” Unlike the camps he helped run at Glen Oak, Sutherland’s camps at St. Charles have featured predominately young adults. In conjunction with Malm, a St. Charles assistant pro at the time, Sutherland developed a program that spends less time on the practice range and more time on the golf course. “We figured out that they really enjoy going out on the golf course and playing,” Sutherland explained. As the camp grew, more volunteer support from the St. Charles membership was needed. While advertising the program around the club brought about some volunteers, one of the most active segments has been the club’s junior golfers, a group that came aboard from a chance encounter that Sutherland still remembers. “We were on the range one day working with the campers and a kid named Matt Samuelson was on the range hitting balls and he walked over and said ‘What’s going on?,’” Sutherland recalled. “We explained it to him and he said, ‘I’d love to come help you guys if you want help.’ We have had several of our older juniors who are good golfers show up most weeks to help out.”
was discontinued before Malm took over. When the Sunshine Through Golf Foundation reached out to Malm to start the camp back up, he drew upon his past experiences with Sutherland to make the easy decision. “I had prior knowledge of what it was all about and the good that it would do not only for the kids, but also the people helping out here,” Malm said. Curtis Malm
Similar to the group he worked with at St. Charles, White Eagle’s camp consists of mainly young adults. Malm cherishes the relationships formed with the campers, citing one particular example as evidence. “I like seeing the kids over and over every year,” Malm said. “I had a kid that I got to know here through the program that turned out to be a brother of one of the kids that played on my son’s hockey team. It worked out. Every time I’d go to the hockey rink to see him practice or play, he’d always be there and we’d talk golf. He was telling me how jacked up he was to get the program started back up. That was pretty neat, to see that you can see these kids and young adults outside of just the camp and know how much fun they were having and how excited they were for it.” Like Mulhearn and Sutherland, Malm’s experiences with the Sunshine Camp program over the years have both brought him and the campers continued enjoyment. “The pure excitement of the kids and young adults is what it’s all about,” Malm said. “As a golf professional, Wednesdays at 4 p.m., you’d think the last thing you want to do is sit on the range or go out on the golf course and give lessons for another hour. After knowing how much fun these kids are going to have and what a difference they can make to them, it’s really easy and it’s a nobrainer to do.
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At the end of each camp, Sutherland and the volunteers often share the same sentiment. “It’s a really rewarding and fulfilling experience,” Sutherland said. Curtis Malm – White Eagle Golf Club After five years as Sutherland’s assistant at St. Charles, Malm moved on to White Eagle in the winter of 2013. White Eagle had done a camp in the past, but it
Malm, after working for Sutherland at St. Charles, started his own Sunshine Camp at White Eagle
SUNSHINE CLUB
The following clubs and their membership suppor t the Sunshine Through Golf Foundation via an annual giving program and have earned the title of Sunshine Club in 2015. The Foundation is very grateful for their commitment to bringing joy to individuals with special needs through golf. Beverly Country Club Biltmore Country Club Bryn Mawr Country Club Butler National Golf Club Butterfield Country Club Calumet Country Club Cress Creek Country Club Crystal Lake Country Club Crystal Tree Golf & Country Club Edgewood Valley Country Club Evanston Golf Club Geneva Golf Club Glen Oak Country Club Hinsdale Golf Club Idlewild Country Club Inverness Golf Club Itasca Country Club Ivanhoe Golf Club Kankakee Country Club Knollwood Club La Grange Country Club Lake Shore Country Club Midlothian Country Club Naperville Country Club North Shore Country Club Olympia Fields Country Club Ouilmette Golf Club Park Ridge Country Club Prestwick Country Club Ridge Country Club Ridgemoor Country Club Riverside Country Club Rockford Country Club Ruth Lake Country Club St. Charles Country Club Twin Orchard Country Club Village Greens of Woodridge-Legends Winnetka Golf Club
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2015 Special Olympic State Qualifiers A great big thank you to the 2015 Sunshine Through Golf camp program hosts. The following organizations, golf clubs and golf professionals made 92 camp programs possible for more than 1,200 participants this year. A round of applause for the Sunshine Through Golf Foundation athletes who qualified for the 2015 Special Olympic State Games Golf Competitions at Hickor y Point Golf Course in Decatur, Ill. JoAnn Adamski Chad Applen Cameron Baranowski Jordan Brix Nick Brozek Sioban Clancy Nicole Composono Tim Corrigan Michele Forzley Travis Freemen Ellie Goldberg David Hernandez Cara Janiszewski Marty Johnson Austin Josenhans Laura Kaczmarek Joe Kauffman Jack Klawitter Cavan LaRue Josh LeClaire Nick Lorenz Brooke Lowder Sam Lubke Katie Malcolm Mark Maloney Lauren Massong Meghan McDougle Brian Meany John Meyer Kevin Mikan Chris Morphew Jeff Osowski Mark Paternostro Natalie Pernia Andrew Peters Allison Peterson Mark Phillips Eric Pieper Allen Platt Greg Rehberg Andrew Rickmon Jessica Rosenbohm Bianca Schmidt Becky Shark Jeremy Sharp Thomas Shimoda James Sikes Nate Simon Katie Slobig Jimmy Stelmach Colleen Sykes David Taylor Juli Teele Todd Tomaszewski Aidan Toy Kyle Tuckey Tyler Wilkey Sean Woods Matt Zolecki Tom Zusag
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Aspire Oak Brook Golf Club Trey Van Dyke and staff
Lincolnway SRA Sanctuary Golf Course Bob Schulz and staff
Special Opportunities Available in Recreation The Links at Ireland Grove Jeff Hunt
Champaign-Urbana SRA Stone Creek Golf Club Tom Szymoniak and staff
Lincolnway SRA White Mountain Golf Course LWSRA Staff
South Suburban SRA Coyote Run Golf Course Tom Denklau and staff
Chicago Special Olympics Diversey Driving Range The First Tee of Greater Chicago staff
Little City Foundation Inverness Golf Club Josh Pius and staff
South West Suburban SRA Fountain Hills Golf Course George Benak
Chicago Special Olympics Marquette Golf Course Juan Espejo
Maine-Niles Association of Special Recreation Golf Center of Des Plaines (GolfTEC) Tom Portera and staff
South West Suburban SRA The Players Club of Chicago Brian Vaisnoras and staff
Chicago Special Olympics Robert A. Black Golf Course The First Tee of Greater Chicago staff
Misericordia Bryn Mawr Country Club Terry Russell and staff
SRA of Central Lake County Libertyville Golf Complex Matt Haskamp
Chicago Special Olympics South Shore Golf Course The First Tee of Greater Chicago staff
Misericordia North Shore Country Club Tim O’Neal and staff
SRA of Central Lake County Twin Orchard Golf Club Andy Shuman and staff
Clearbrook Mt. Prospect Golf Club Jeff Langguth and staff
Northeast DuPage SRA Medinah Country Club Martin DeAngelo and staff
Tri-County SRA Cog Hill Golf & Country Club Jeff Rimsnider
Evanston SRA Wilmette Golf Course Jamie Locke and staff
Northern Illinois SRA Bowes Creek Country Club Mike Lehman and staff
Warren SRA Libertyville Golf Complex Ron Klein
Fox Valley SRA Fox Bend Golf Course Jonathan Staton
Northern Illinois SRA Makray Memorial SRA Don Habjan and staff
Western DuPage SRA Cantigny Golf Emily Burns
Fox Valley SRA St. Charles Country Club Jim Sutherland and staff
Northern Illinois SRA Randall Oaks Golf Club Steve Gillie and staff
Western DuPage SRA Glen Oak Country Club Danny Mulhearn and staff
Freeport Park District Park Hills Golf Course Jeff Hartman
Northwest Suburban SRA Old Orchard Golf Course Doug Brazeau and staff
Western DuPage SRA White Eagle Golf Club Curtis Malm and staff
Gateway SRA Flagg Creek Golf Course Flagg Creek golf staff
Northwest Suburban SRA Twin Lakes Golf Course Nick Georgalas and staff
Western Suburban SRA Oak Park Golf Club Rimmy Dunlop and staff
Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association Foss Park Golf Course Patrick Byrne
Oak Lawn SRA Stony Creek Golf Course Roy Dombeck and staff
Western Suburban SRA White Pines Golf Club Chuck Lynch and staff
Heart of Illinois SRA Kellogg Golf Course Kyle Meger and staff
Orland Park SRA Silver Lake Country Club Gregg Tengerstrom and staff
Hope Wall School Phillips Park Golf Course First Tee of Aurora staff
River Valley SRA Aspen Ridge Golf Course Dieter Jaehn, Jr.
Indiana Special Olympics Creekside Golf Course Nancy Bender and staff
Rockford Park District Easter Seals Day School Duncan Geddes and staff
Kishwaukee SRA Buena Vista Golf Club Buena Vista golf staff
School District 54 – Special Olympics Fox Run Golf Club John O’Brien
Lily Cache SRA Mistwood Golf Club Chris Ioriatti and staff
South East Association for Special Parks & Recreation Village Greens of Woodridge Brandon Evans & Prince Winbush
Lincolnway SRA Prestwick Country Club Simon Allan and Staff
Special Connections of Grundy County Nettle Creek Country Club Kurt Nolan and staff