My family recently held our first golf outing fundraiser to raise money for FARA. It was Saturday September 6th in DeWitt, Michigan where my Dad grew up. We organized the event with the help of some friends and family. The idea came about when a local businessman offered to connect us with his friend at the golf course. Since it was the same course that my Grandfather helped build, we knew we had to do it. When they asked me to come up with the name, I suggested "Weapons of Grass Destruction" because I thought it was funny and sometimes golf is a little too serious!

In addition to the golf and dinner, we collected a lot of great silent auction items to help raise even more money. My favorite was an autographed picture of Kirk Gibson which I won for my friend who loves baseball. I was glad to win it for him and to help FARA at the same time. We had over 40 golfers and 60 total for dinner. It was a small but fun outing and I hope we can make it even bigger next year.

This year we raised over $4,700 for FARA and next year I hope we can raise even more. My favorite part of the day was the dinner and award ceremony after the golfers were done. It was great to meet and talk to everyone especially another FAmily from Michigan that drove several hours to be there and helped us run the event and brought lots of silent auction items, golfing friends and cool FARA buttons. They are awesome.

I am thankful to everyone who sponsored, donated and came that day. A big thank you to friends and family who donated even though they couldn't come and remembered what we were there to celebrate and fight for - a cure for FA! Fundraising is important because FARA is all about research and research is what will bring the cure. Everything we raised that day goes directly to help FARA accomplish more to bring scientists, companies and families together to end FA.

I am proud that our fundraiser helped, even in a small way, to help FARA and what they are working so hard to do. Plus we had a great time and a fun day, and yes - some grass was destroyed!