Sporting A Cause

Tag Archives: Ice Bucket Open Golf Tournament

Bob Frink

I only saw Bob Frink once, and from that moment wished that I had known him longer. I met him at the Canaan Country Club last August where he was hosting the 3rd Annual Ice Bucket Open Golf Tournament to raise money  for the  ALS Association, Connecticut Chapter.

Bob sat in a motorized wheelchair. He could no longer speak, but he could smile, and I think smiling is about the bravest thing you can do when you have ALS.

ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or, more commonly, Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder which means it robs the sufferer of muscular control starting with mobility and manual dexterity and eventually speech and the ability to breath. There is no cure, and it is always fatal. It stole those things from Bob, but it couldn’t rob his spirit, or the spirit of his wife Jeanine and their family. Much is asked of a family when a member has ALS.

Bob had served as greens keeper at CCC for 27 years, so a golf tournament at the Club was a natural for a fundraiser.  Well known and well loved, Bob’s friends organized the Open to raise money to help him out, but Bob decided the proceeds would go to ALS Association CT, the organization that has helped him and his family.

Bob passed away in February, but the Ice Bucket Challenge continues. It will be held this Saturday, August 10th, for the fourth year, at the Canaan Country Club in memory of Bob Frink.

The tournament has raised over $70,000 for ALS research over its three year run. 

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