A 34-year-old family man, who's recently gone through an extensive heart operation, and his family are the beneficiaries of a Heart to Heart Open Golf Tournament and two-man-scramble Saturday, Aug. 25, at The Plantation Golf and Country Club, 10500 Dartington Drive, Fort Myers, with registration at 8 a.m. and a shotgun start at 8:30.
"Everything has been coming along very nicely, and we have graciously received much-needed community support," said Ryan Danis, owner of Danis Insurance, avid golfer and friend and colleague of the benefit recipient. "This tournament is for Team Vandenberg, a local family from South Africa."
Ryan said beneficiary Craig Vandenberg's condition stemmed from an untreated ailment that worsened over time.
"At 19, the family's father, Craig Vandenberg, got pneumonia in South Africa," Ryan said. "He didn't get treatment in time, and it made an infection around his heart wall, enlarging his heart."
Vandenburg has been on a pacemaker since he was 19. The pacemaker recently stopped working, and he didn't know it.
"Luckily, doctors found out in time and were able to repair his heart valve," Ryan said. "Once they did that, now regulating his heart, the blood flow was then overpowering his liver and kidneys, and he had to go into an induced coma. He's only 34 years old. He's been out of work now for three months, and we're holding this fund-raiser to help his family with bills and expenses."
Fact Box
To Go
What: Heart to Heart Open Golf Tournament and two-man-scramble
When: registration at 8 a.m. and a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Saturday
Where: The Plantation Golf and Country Club, 10500 Dartington Drive, Fort Myer
Why: A young man, who's recently gone through an extensive operation, and his family are the beneficiaries
Contact: (239) 810-9156 or e-mail RyanDanis@gmail.com
The benefit will include several 50/50 raffles, raffle prize giveaways, a closest-to-the-pin contest and a $25,000 cash prize to the player who aces a certain hole that day.
"The golf course is beautiful. I'm an avid golfer, and it literally is one of the nicest golf courses in the county," Ryan said. "The cost that day is $100 per player, which includes greens fees, range balls, entrance into all of the raffles, prizes and giveaways, and a full buffet lunch at the country club that day. We may also host benefits in the future, to continue helping Craig and his family."
If any business is interested in making a donation to the raffle prizes, please call Ryan at (239) 810-9156.
Pre-registration is requested as well as cash or check sign-ups, as there will not be a credit card machine on the greens.
To pre-register, call Ryan or e-mail RyanDanis@gmail.com. Go to the tournament's Facebook page by searching "Heart to Heart Open Golf Tournament."
