12th Annual Duke Classic charity golf outing in Belleville raises $15,000 for pediatric cancer patients

By all accounts, the 12th Annual Duke Classic was a  tremendous success.  72 golfers enjoyed the crisp fall weather, terrific course conditions and the abundant food and beverages prepared by the Chandelier Restaurant.  Most importantly, the event raised over $15,000 for the Embrace Kids Foundation in New Brunswick, which will go directly to help families with children suffering from cancer and blood disorders.

Guest speaker Trish Tomczak gave an inspiring account of all the support and services provided by Embrace Kids, while her son Trevor was undergoing chemotherapy.  Trevor (age 14)  is now cancer free.  During his treatments, he had a very positive attitude, but was motivated to persevere by many of the people he met through Embrace Kids such as the NFL’s Ray Rice and Brian Leonard, Rutgers Eric LeGrand, and numerous Rutgers University student-volunteers involved in the RU 4 Kids program.  Trish and her family remain very grateful for Embrace Kids’ part in Trevor’s recovery.

It’s hard to believe we have been doing this since 2002.  The Duke Classic has always been a “family and friends” event with many players and dinner guests attending all 12 years.  These supporters have been the life blood of our fundraising, and without them, we would never have been able sustain the Duke Classic, and raise over $135,000 for Embrace Kids.  Each year we welcome several newcomers into the fold, and this year was no exception.  “In order to keep the vitality of the event, it is important for us to spread the word about the cause, and encourage people to take a moment to realize the direct impact of their generosity on families in their time of need.” 

Our goal is to reach $200,000 by 2016, and we plan to stick with our mission of: “Play golf, have fun, and help fight cancer”.  There is no magic formula for success, but here are a few things we have learned throughout the years - Have a meaningful cause, surround yourself with people who really care, provide great food and plenty of drinks, don’t be shy about asking people to reach deeper to make an impact, and be grateful for any and all contributions.  To reach or exceed our goal, we can use more players, dinner guests, donations, raffle prizes and sponsorships.  Please contact Ken Constantino at Dukeclassic@comcast.net if you are interested in supporting the event next year.