8th Annual Golf Tournament- Changed for Good.

Welcome to the 8th annual Amazing Gracie’s Golf Scramble!  Thank you for spending the day with us and for raising money for Amazing Gracie’s Gift Foundation. Over the past 8 years we’ve experienced just about every kind of weather you can imagine at our golf tournament. We’ve had sun, clouds, rain, fog, wind, and even snow. It’s also been pretty cold, super hot, and also very pleasant. Today we did not see rain and had a few peaks of sunshine! The sun always makes the day a little brighter, but what really makes this day truly amazing is the smiles on all your faces and the love in your hearts for our foundation.  

Today we had over 150 golfers, over 30 volunteers, over 100 donations from some amazing people and businesses, and sponsorships totaling over $14,000 before the tournament even began!

With the funds raised today and throughout the year we are able to do the following:

  • Provide individual financial assistance and memory making opportunities to families whose children are battling cancer or a life threatening illness.
  • Provide professional photo shoots for local families
  • Host an Easter event at Golisano Children’s hospital
  • Support the Beads of Courage and Flashes of Hope programs at the Melodies Center at Albany Med.  Both of these programs will allow us to touch the lives of more families and help them create memories.
  • Send $5000 to the Journeys Program at the Melodies Center to directly support children and their families
  • Support families and cook dinners at the RMH
  • Send $5000 to the RMH to provide meals and entertainment at the new Krantz Cottage at Lake George.

We could not do all of this without you.  Thank you!

I would like to welcome Debbie Ross from the Ronald McDonald House of Albany.  Debbie is the resident house director at the RMH. Resident house director is her title but she is so much more than that to the families staying at RMH.  She is their cheerleader, a friendly smiling face, a shoulder to cry on, she is who families will share good news and bad news with. Debbie is one of the most compassionate, giving and loving person who I’ve ever met.  When you’re around Debbie, you know that the kids come first and she will do anything and everything to make them feel comfortable and loved during their stay at the RMH. She is not only our contact person at RMH, but our friend and extended family.  Debbie is here today to share some exciting news about the RMH and how we are able to help. Please welcome Debbie.

This past spring we took a trip to NYC to see the broadway show, Wicked.  An amazing show it was and at the end I was in tears as they sang the song, “For Good”.  The words “ Because I knew you I have been changed for Good” touched my heart. I immediately thought of Gracie and knew that because I knew her, I had been changed for good.  Gracie’s big blue eyes and the love she had for us, her family, changed me for good. There is nothing more valuable than time spent with those you love and I thank Gracie everyday for showing us this. The love, compassion and support we received from all of you has also changed me for good.  Families, friends and strangers immediately came together to shower us with love, prayers, compassion and support. Thank you for showing us the good in what was one of the hardest times in our life. Today we are not here for Gracie, but instead we are here in memory of Gracie. She touched all our lives in one way or another and we are paying it forward by being amazing and doing good in memory of her.  What we are here for today is the kids who are battling cancer or a life threatening illness. We are here to help them make memories and to support them, both emotionally and financially. Because we know these children, we have been changed for good. The giving hearts of all the people in this room and all those who couldn’t be here today continue to amaze us by helping us help others. Because I know all of you, I have been changed for good. And more importantly because of all of you, the children we help have been changed for good.  The smiles, laughter and endless thank yous from our families show the goodness we bring to those who need it the most. I hope because you know us, Amazing Gracie’s Gift Foundation, and you knew Gracie, that you have been changed for good, too.

Each year I state our motto and I ask you to be amazing.  So without further ado…

  • Be Amazing like the RMH of Albany. A place that provides comfort, hope, love, and support for so many families. The RMH now has more room for love in their new house and can hold up to 25 families. One of those rooms was built in Gracie’s name. It is beautiful, warm, comforting and totally amazing.
  • Be Amazing like the Melodies Center at Albany Med and like Golisano Children’s Hospital whose efforts to help save and cure children are endless.
    • Be Amazing like Lilliana and Ronnie who have battled cancer and are now in remission.
    • Be Amazing like Jacinto, Giada, Will, Marcus, Azalea, Mackenzie, who are bravely fighting and dealing with complications from the side effects of chemo.
    • Be Amazing like Mya, Ava, Cooper, Sophia who fought bravely and lost their battle with cancer.
    • Be Amazing today and always for all the kids who are suffering and for all the kids who have lost the fight.
    • And lastly, my motto and what keeps me going on a daily basis – Be Amazing like Gracie.

Thank you for the past 8 years. Because we know each other we are changed for the better.  Let’s keep the good going and make it to 10 years!

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