It was a “swinging good time and exciting FUNdraiser” at the MountainView/Preserve Women’s Golf Association’s (“MPWGA”) annual event for the University of Arizona Cancer Center. The calendar of cancer awareness honors caregivers in November, designated by a plum-colored ribbon. Partners, family members, and friends tirelessly, selflessly, and compassionately provide physical and emotional care for loved ones, often leaving themselves physically and emotionally exhausted and overwhelmed. As part of a medical team, caregivers provide strength and a support system to advocate, help with day-to-day tasks, and encourage patients to laugh, continue to embrace life, become a survivor, and to have as normal a life as possible during and after cancer. Tuesday, November 17 was a special day set aside to recognize the sometimes-overlooked caregiver heroes, as each of 108 participants and 39 caddies proudly wore a plum ribbon pin over their heart as a sign of honor.

Members of the three SaddleBrooke women’s golf clubs compiled their own foursomes to make 27 teams for the scramble tournament. Matt Kambic, special events coordinator for the men’s league, gathered the golf gentry to provide caddie courtier service to pamper and please the princesses. Last year the caddies strutted their stuff on stage as teams whistled and bid on them, but this year the bag butlers were assigned through a blind draw. Everybody was a winner in the grab bag because every piece of that caddie candy had just the right amount of wiggle and wigwag in his whoosh when he whaled a whopper. Only real men, or caddies, wear pinks and purples, and the cortege of color-coded caddies was dressed to impress. The sugar caddies were all sweet-talk, leaving domain over the course to those born in the purple, as studies throughout golf history have shown that women live much longer than the men who try to tell them how to golf.

Each team member could request three caddie drives on par-4 or 5 holes, and one fairway shot on a par-5. The ladies played real golf and did not take mulligans, but the scaredy-caddies were allowed one “maul it again,” as it was understandable how nervous they might be in their quest to serve the royalty. Since the manpower also drove from the red tees, some thought themselves clever having a caddie both drive and make a fairway shot on the same par-5, hoping for a condor or albatross. But sometimes when you let the big dogs out, they get overly excited and find the big bad buzzard. Barkie, sharkie, and sandie pars were common, and an occasional side trip through the cabbage patch salvaged a platypus. There might have been a little mansplainin’ goin’ on, but no worries. What happens on par-5 fairways stays on par-5 fairways.

All par-3 holes were closest to the pin contests, and played exclusively by women. The four dancing queens of the greens were: Raylene Peters #4, Donna Yon #8, Cookie Kaplan #13, and Anne Cole #17. These performers all tap-danced their ball into the hole for birdies!

The top scores, 47, 48, and 50, were all two-way ties, resolved by a playoff comparing hole scores starting with the most difficult. Hail to the reigning team Madelaine Salas, Sandra Cooper, Carolyn Harville, and Rochelle Davies, with caddie support from Scott Davis and Dave Harmon. They were tickled pink and plum winning the highly coveted prize of bragging rights, and even happier that every single dollar went directly to the big winner—cancer research.

This year $16,300 was raised through the $50 contribution from each player and caddie; generous donations from the SaddleBrooke communities; and our loyal and proud sponsors Ironwood Dermatology, Margie & Dottie at Long Realty, and Sparkle & Splash. Combined with the money from previous years, the MPWGA has raised over $156,300 for cancer research.

We applaud our tournament chair Loralee Horwedel for her dedication, months of planning, and creation of the inspiring logo, and her team Linda DeWitt, Betty Cole, and Barbara Bloch.

Loralee, an experienced cancer caregiver herself, speaks from her heart in saying, “There is a rare person who has not been touched by cancer. Research is the only way to eradicate this devastating disease.”

The ribbons of colors in pink and purple spectrums flowing across the sun-lit golf course made a beautiful rainbow. It was a rainbow of hope. And through continued support of cancer research, someday, at the end of the rainbow there will be a cure.


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