Cosmopolitan Golf Classic a Win for Charity

Cosmopolitan Golf Classic a Win for Charity

By Peggy Werner

The Rockford Cosmopolitan Golf Classic is not only a great day for the golfers who play on two premier courses, it also is the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year, benefiting local charities. This year’s event will see former Rockford IceHogs and Chicago Blackhawks player Bryan Bickell and his wife Amanda on the golf course and Bryan will be guest speaker at a dinner the night before.

The 28 th annual golf classic is open to the public and will be Friday, Aug. 16, at Aldeen Golf Course, 1900 Reid Farm Road, and Forest Hills Country Club Golf Course, 5135 Forest Hills Road. Registration begins at 11 a.m. and the day will end with an After Party with food, beer, wine, soft drinks, water, prizes and raffles at the Aldeen Golf Course pavilion.

A buffet-style dinner with open bar will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, at Prairie Street Brewing Company, 200 Prairie St. Bickell will speak about his career and retirement. Funds raised from both events will go to Rockford Cosmopolitan Club donations to local not-for-profits.

Bickell is a retired professional hockey player who began his career with the Rockford IceHogs before playing with the Chicago Blackhawks for 10 years, winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013, and 2015. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis late in 2017 and had to retire from the game. In his retirement, he found a new purpose, which he will talk about during his foundation dinner speech.

Chairman Chris Zion says the golf classic serves many purposes.

“We not only want people to have a good time, but we also want them to know who we are and what we do,” he says.

Cosmopolitan International is a notfor-profit men’s civic organization founded in 1918. It has chapters in the U.S. and Canada. Rockford has the biggest chapter, with 215 members.

The international organization has donated millions of dollars to diabetes research and treatment. Local clubs also support local community service projects and charitable causes.

Last year, the local chapter raised more than $100,000 for charities, the biggest benefactor each year being Crusader Clinic for its Diabetes Outreach Program. Zion estimates about $600,000 has been donated to Crusader Clinic in the past 20 years. Last year, an additional 20 not-forprofits received grants.

Rick Swansbro of Rockford is finishing up a one-year term as president of Cosmopolitan International, which consists of 1,500 members in 47 clubs in the United States and Canada. He has served on the international board for four years and was the local club president in 2010. A club member since 2007, he believes there is a reason for the Rockford chapter’s success.

“We attract professional businessmen of all ages, and have successfully recruited younger members who like networking, want to be involved in their community, are driven and want to get things done,” he says.

One of the international club’s newest efforts, which began several years ago, is working with PAWS Saving Lives, a program that pairs diabetes alert dogs with people who need them most. Local clubs can provide some funds to purchase dogs. Grant applications can be made online at rfdcosmo.org.

“The dogs recognize changes in blood sugar by the smell of a person’s breath, which can be sweet or acidic, depending on which way the blood sugar is headed,” he says.

The dog will touch the person to signal something is wrong and, in some cases, the dogs are trained to touch a 911 pad, if a person is living alone and becomes unconscious. So far, about 20 dogs have been placed with Midwest families, with three of those dogs going to people in the Rockford area.

Meanwhile, it is expected the golf classic will be a “sell out” with 288 golfers signing up as individual players or on teams. Each person not only gets to enjoy the afternoon of golf, but also gets golf balls, towels, a souvenir T-shirt, lunch, time on the driving range and an all-day open bar.

Zion says funds for local charities mainly come from the sale of raffle tickets, donations and sponsorships, which include 15 corporations and 80 individuals and businesses.

Ticket prices vary and can be purchased at birdeasepro.com. ❚