Golf
Honoring
fallen heroes through golf BY PAUL LEAHY
family. As Rooney watched the casket The Folds of Honor Foundation was being unloaded and watched Buckestablished in May 2007, by Lt. Col lin’s young son walk beside the casDan Rooney, to honor the sacrifi ce of ket he turned and noticed that over the fallen by providing educational half the passengers disregarded the scholarships from kindergarten pilot’s request and left the plane. through college for children and Rooney pledged that day to spend spouses of fallen and disabled serhis life changing the future of Amervice members. The way the foundaica’s spouses and children of falltion began is quite inspirational. en and disabled service members. Rooney was fl ying home to In 2006, the inaugural fundGrand Rapids, Mich. from Chicago Lt. Col Dan Rooney raising golf tournament was held after his second tour of duty in PROVIDED BY FOLDS OF HONOR at the Grand Haven Golf Club in Iraq as an F-16 Fighter pilot. The captain announced they were carrying the re- Michigan, a course owned by the Rooney family. A mains of a hero. Corporal Brock Bucklin was on total of $8,500 was raised to support families of board and his twin brother was escorting his cas- fallen heroes in Michigan. Since this humble beket home. The captain asked all the passen- ginning over 29,000 scholarships have been gers to respectfully remain seated while awarded and $145 million dollars distributed. Curthe fl ag-covered casket was removed rently there are 30 chapters around the country and met by the remainder of his including chapters in St. Louis and Kansas City.
A concert and Freedom Run are scheduled to be held at Camden on the Lake and Osage National Golf Resort on Sept. 17.
Jack Nicklaus waived his standard $3 million design fee for American Dunes. The club is structured to serve others, with 100% of American Dunes’ annual profi t given to the Folds of Honor Foundation. PROVIDED BY DOUG BELL
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