Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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The 2013 Ryan Patrick Kishbaugh Memorial Golf Tournament Slated at Cypress Lakes by STEPHANIE CRIDER Legacy is a word that is often associated with world leaders and business For the past several years, more than 100 people have come out to celebrate tycoons — teenagers and young adults, not so much. Ryan Patrick Kishbaugh Ryan's life. In fact, last year was the biggest turn out in the tournament's history died 10 years ago at the age of 19, leaving a legacy that is still changing lives with 120 players. and helping people. A lot if it has to do with his "This year I anticipate we will be close to that," passion for life and his desire to help people. The said Kishbaugh. "That being said, there is still rest comes from the love his friends and family room for teams to register." share for the young man and their determination The tournament is a captain's-choice format to honor his memory and celebrate his life. On with prizes for a hole-in-one, longest drive and July 13, the Ryan Patrick Kishbaugh Memorial closest-to-the-pin as well as a putting contest. Golf Tournament tees-off to celebrate the life of Each player will receive a coin minted especially this amazing young man whose journey is a stellar for the 10th anniversary of the tournament in example of a life well lived. addition to golf balls, a water bottle coozie, a An exceptional athlete and scholar, Ryan T-shirt, tees and other items. Breakfast, snacks graduated second in his class in high school and and lunch will be catered by the Invisible Chef. had been accepted to Princeton when he was Brewmaster Tito Simmons will share some of his diagnosed with cancer. He fought hard and even craft beverages during lunch. wrote a book about his experience. His family While the warm summer weather can get pretty continues to celebrate his life and has supported brutal, spirits remain high during the event. several nonprofits in his honor. This year the "Ryan touched a lot of people during his short David Kishbaugh, event organizer and Ryan Kishbaugh's dad, speaking RPK Memorial Golf Tournament benefits the life. Those that come to play typically knew him at last year's event. Carpe Diem Foundation and the Leukemia and personally or knew of him through someone Lymphoma Society. close to him," said Kishbaugh. "They don't mind "We play in July each year because it is a celebration of Ryan's life … his sweating a few pounds and suffering through the heat because as one person said birthday is July 26, 1984. The first year it was just family gathering on his birthday it 'Ryan (and other kids with cancer) suffered every day and if we can't give him six and we went out to play golf so we would not drive each other crazy. Chris and hours of our life and be a little uncomfortable, then we don't deserve to be here.' A Sean (Ryan's brothers) invited a few of their friends to come along and later little harsh but a sentiment that many of us share. We are here to make a difference." commented that it would be a good thing to actually have a tournament and thus In making a difference, Kishbaugh is adding a new feature to this year's the seed was planted," said Ryan's dad, and event organizer, David Kishbaugh. tournament. "We are using the event as the launch for the winter season of Team "It is still the most fun part of the whole tournament when I see the boys (now in Training, which is the LLS endurance sport fundraising arm," said Kishbaugh. 30-ish) picking on each other and everyone else … Each year, I have chosen "Last year I participated in the inaugural LLS Half-Marathon in San Antonio, two charities to receive money from the tournament. Until three years ago, it Texas (called HeroThon). Although I am embarrassed to say that an injury kept was always the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and one other (Cape Fear Valley me from running as fast as I wanted or hoped, I have decided to run again." Health Foundation, Autism Society of Cumberland County, Susan G. Komen for At the registration area and during lunch, there will be alumni of previous Team the Cure, Father's Foundation), but a few years ago I helped a friend form a nonin Training events available to share their stories and encourage others to sign up profit foundation in order to provide college scholarships for student-athletes with and join in the Kiawah Island Half (or Full) Marathon in December 2013. Abby chronic medical problems and support other organizations that promote education Miller, campaign director for Team in Training, N.C. Chapter will be a special and research for diseases that affect student athletes. I became the director and guest at this year's event. She will share the mission of Team in Training and LLS. the foundation changed its name to the Carpe Diem Foundation in 2012. Monies Kishbaugh hopes that others will join him in signing up for the race and pledging from the tournament, and other events we hope to establish, will help us create that to make a difference. scholarship and we plan to offer our first scholarships in 2014." Already looking forward to next year's RPK Memorial Golf Tournament, Carpe Diem is a Latin term meaning sieze the day. It's a statement about making Kishbaugh is planning to add a Friday-night birthday party before the golfing the most of every moment and living life well. It's how Ryan chose to live and how begins. "Ryan would have been 30 next year," said Kishbaugh. "I loved Ryan very his friends and family remember him. much. He is my hero." According to www.lls.org, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society website, in fiscal Tee-off is at 8:30 a.m at Cypress Lakes Golf year 2011 LLS invested more than $76 million in blood cancer research. "When Course. Find out more about the event and register at LLS was founded in 1949, a blood cancer diagnosis was almost always fatal. www.2013rpkmemorial.com or visit Thanks in part to innovative research funded by LLS, survival rates have doubled, www.facebook.com/pages/RPKSTEPHANIE CRIDER, Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomtripled and even quadrupled for blood cancer patients," the website notes. Memorial/441475325867617. ingweekly.com. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM JULY 10-16, 2013 UCW 11