Over $2.5 Million
Dollars Raised
A Record Breaking 2010 Celebrity Golf Classic
What a fun and inspiring weekend. Thanks to over 400 attendees, sponsors, donors, volunteers and advocates that support pancreatic cancer research, the 2010 Seena Magowitz Celebrity Golf Classic was a dynamic success.
The event honored Professor Randy Pausch who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer in July 2008. In the face of death, he gave his inspirational "Last Lecture" at Carnegie Mellon University in 2007. Titled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams", it was not about dying. It was an upbeat lecture about the importance of overcoming obstacles and enabling the dreams of others. It was all about living.
If you've never seen the Last Lecture video, do yourself a favor. When you have about 77 minutes, you can see it here. The Lecture is now in book-form and you can get the whole story here. Randy was a "Tigger", the inspirational character from Winnie-the-Pooh. More detail on that story later.
A plush, stuffed Tigger doll adorned each table as a statement of everything Randy believed and symbolically resonated his enthusiasm through-out the audience. Donated by Mattress Firm, the dolls were give to the Arizona Association for Foster and Adoptive Parents to support its annual toy-drive.
The Tigger spirit was exemplified by several of the speakers at the luncheon, including Jai Pausch, Randy's widow, who has become a pancreatic cancer activist to carry-on Randy's mission. She said the fight against pancreatic cancer has ample manpower and brainpower but needs more financial support.
Derrick Hall, president of the Arizona Diamondbacks MLB baseball team, said that Roger Magowitz "envisions a world without cancer and that's what brings everyone here." Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, the physician-in-chief at TGen, a cutting edge research facility in Phoenix, gave an in depth presentation about the positive research gains being made in the fight against pancreatic cancer.
Howard Young, a pancreatic cancer survivor and advocate gave his moving story about how he defied the odds. How faith, hope and optimism to fight for every living moment is so important. Steve Stagner, CEO of Mattress Firm, said the company will devote its resources to the cause of fighting pancreatic cancer going forward and is convinced that Dr. Von Hoff and his team of researchers will find a cure for pancreatic cancer.
Roger Magowitz, Founder of Seena Magowitz Foundation in honor of his mother, Seena, announced that he and his wife Jeanne sold their mattress company to Mattress Firm, one of the largest mattress retailers in the country. Roger will assume the new position of charitable adviser at Mattress Firm giving him even more time to focus on providing the tools necessary to researchers that will eventually cure the disease.
Record-Breaking Donations
Punctuating the Saturday luncheon was the announcement that Roger and Jeanne Magowitz were donating $1 Million to the cause. Howard Young and family matched that with another $1 Million donation. Adding the over $500,000 raised by the event, a combined $2.5 Million will be contributed to the continuing battle against pancreatic cancer, giving patients and their families greater hope.
Next Year's 2011 Celebrity Golf Classic
Mark your calendars for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday December 2-4, 2011, the date planned for next year's Celebrity Golf Classic which will also be held at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.
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