Spiritus Masters Golf Tournament

IMPROVING THE LIVES OF ADULT CYSTIC FIBROSIS PATIENTS

2021 LAKE REALTY SPIRITUS MASTERS GOLF TOURNAMENT

Well, we survived yet another COVID-induced delay to hold the sixth annual Lake Realty Spiritus Masters event on June 14, 2021 at Verdict Ridge Country Club. We hosted a full field of 128 golfers to raise funds for Spiritus Project. Your generosity and participation in the golf event, silent auction, and purchases of bows and flags allowed us to raise over $120,000!

The day was a hot but fun-filled golf event with great food and adult beverages prepared by the team at Verdict Ridge. Our presenting sponsors (Apiture and Aspire Private Capital) provided a big boost in our fund-raising efforts, as did our key sponsors (Knox Law Center, Williams Custom Homes, Dr. Jay Selle and FIS). We appreciate all of them and the local businesses and neighbors who also sponsor contests and holes each year!

Our theme this year was “Make Your Mark”. Golfing participants had a note on each cart containing information on how they had helped a particular patient we serve. They also signed a piece of a large puzzle containing a patient name. When assembled, the puzzle revealed a message about the origin of Spiritus Project shaped in the form of a fingerprint. The puzzle will be framed and hung in the UNC Adult CF Center.

This year, we were fortunate to have Dr. Scott Donaldson speak at our reception. Dr. Donaldson has devoted nearly 30 years of his life to the care and treatment of cystic fibrosis patients at the UNC Adult CF Center. He has also participated in research for treatments to improve the lifespan and quality of life for 325 patients followed at his center. Dr. Donaldson spoke about the ongoing and significant progress made in treating CF patients, which has nearly tripled the average life expectancy. However, he also spoke about the impact of getting these treatments after decades of damage to patients in their younger years. While living longer, the adult CF patients live with these lingering issues and still have trouble balancing payments for the cost of these miracle drugs with basic daily expenses for food, lodging, utilities and transportation. He projects that the adult CF population in our region will more than double in the next 20 years to 700 patients!

So, the all volunteer team at Spiritus Project has our work cut out for us to provide ongoing direct, need-based financial assistance to adult CF patients in an effort to reduce stress and provide an improved quality of life. The focus of Spiritus Project is to assist patients receiving their primary care in North Carolina via the UNC Adult CF Clinic, including several in the Denver area. To date, we have impacted the lives of these patients over 1,770 times.

Please contact Robby or Helen Link if you would like to be part of next year’s event on Monday, April 11, 2022 at Verdict Ridge. Again, thank you to the entire Verdict Ridge club and community in helping us realize Jessica Link’s vision!

Thanks again to our sponsors, golfers, friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, local businesses, volunteers and tournament committee for their support and efforts in helping the all-volunteer team at Spiritus Project pull off this event You can find many of them recognized for their contributions in this year's program below:

Many thanks to the event volunteers, some of whom worked from sunup to late evening to pull of this event. Lynn Brotherton did a masterful job of pulling this team together to provide the golfers and sponsors with a day full of memories.

Take a look at some of the fun from this year's event!

...as well as pictures of our supportive golfers!

And, if you are interested in supporting this event or this cause, contact Helen Beals Link or Robby Link!