When Tartan Fields Golf Director Ted Lambert learned that his youngest son Nicholas, now 4, had Down syndrome, there was little information or guidance given to him and his wife about what to do or where to go.
Through the support of parents in similar situations, he and his wife were able to find the Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio (DSACO) and all the advice, support and information they needed to raise Nicholas to reach his full potential. This was the main motivation behind Tartan Fields inaugural Celebrity Classic Golf Outing and Corazon Gala and Live Auction event for DSACO, which is July 9 and 10.
“I saw an opportunity with golf being my profession where I could grow money for a good cause and better the community,” Lambert says.
Tartan Fields will host two days of celebrity-filled events in which all proceeds will be donated to DSACO. Celebrities will include but are not limited to Jody Shelley, Dom Tiberi, Mike Vrable, Gabe Spiegel, John Cooper, Dave Kaylor and Anthony Munoz.
The event begins Monday, July 9, with a clinic for Central Ohio children with Down syndrome from across Central Ohio to learn the game of golf. Following instruction, celebrities will attend a luncheon with attendees then play a head-to-head celebrity shootout of nine holes.
That evening, Corazon Club & Spa will host a dinner and gala event for DSACO, inviting all participants in the celebrity shootout as well as the public, which can purchase tickets for $150 per couple. The Corazon gala will include hors d’ouevres and dinner, silent and live auctions, celebrity guests, a guest speaker and live music from a jazz trio. More than 80 items will be auctioned throughout the night, including themed gift baskets, golf clubs, golf packages and sports memorabilia. Larger prizes include a trip to Hawaii or a chance to experience VIP treatment and visit the cockpit at a NASCAR race of the winner’s choice.
All guests are invited to spend July 9-10 as honorary members at Corazon Club & Spa (www.corazonclub.com).
The event continues Tuesday, July 10, at Tartan Fields with the Celebrity Amateur. Only one of the 28 teams, comprising one celebrity and four amateurs, will win the competition and be awarded custom sets of Mizuno golf clubs. All participants, whether they make par or birdies, will receive gift packs from Nike with shirts and shoes.
“This is a big step for us,” DSACO Administrative Director Marge Barnheiser says. “This caliber of an event is just huge, but it’s coming together great. We’re really looking forward to it.”
The money raised by this Tartan Fields event will fund a medical outreach program called Changing Lives, which will supply the medical community with information about Down syndrome so every new parent of a baby with Down syndrome will have up-to-date information and referrals to parent support groups and other resources. It has been implemented in various cities throughout the country, but DSACO will be the first group to implement the program in Columbus.
The event also will sponsor a program started in Philadelphia called Golf for Life, which introduces individuals with Down syndrome to the game of golf and offers them opportunities for training and competition, regardless of skill level or physical abilities.
DSACO is a nonprofit community agency committed to fostering a dynamic community in which individuals with Down syndrome are supported and encouraged while they achieve their life time potential. It supports more than 600 families in the Central Ohio and is funded totally by private donations.