Several years ago, Jared Bailey (owner of Santa Maria Physical Therapy Group) and his friend Danny Sheridan were sitting in a garage talking about—well—things, and the conversation got around to what they could do for the community.
Lucky for the Tri-Counties Make-a-Wish Foundation, Jared and Danny settled on a project: raising money for chronically ill children and funding wishes of really sick kids to bolster their spirits and give them encouragement while they battled illness.
For, I believe, the sixth consecutive year, Jared’s and Danny’s fundraiser, Golf for Wishes, raised enough money to fund wishes for several Central Coast kids.
The wishes include experiences like trips to Disney World. Mickey Mouse is a very big draw.
The 2016 Golf for Wishes golf tournament, dinner, and auction was held on Friday, May 13, at the Santa Maria Country Club.
There was a full house on the golf course (144, which is the max) and in the dining room (close to 200). It was a mixed crowd of mostly younger folks with golf clubs, golf attire, and a lot of enthusiasm for doing good.
During cocktail hour, complimentary Cambria wine and Coors Light beer were available at the very busy bar, which resounded with post-golf game buzz and banter. In the bar, there were also plates of homemade cookies and brownies and grilled chorizo sausage appetizers.
Jared was pleased about the outcome of the evening and about the feedback on dinner. Many (including moi) reported to him that the meal was superb. We are talking about really good prime rib, along with chicken, scalloped potatoes, a bean medley, and the Country Club’s popular build-your- own-sundae bar with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream. Dinner tickets alone were $40.
Among the guests and golfers were Dr. Thomas Dawes and his sister (and colleague), nurse practitioner Dianne Dawes. Both are siblings of Jared’s wife, Karen, who is also a physical therapist. This family is really into the healing arts.
Karen’s parents, Jeannine and Thomas Dawes Sr., were also in the crowd. Fernando Holguin and Aaron and Allison Smith enjoyed chatting with their many friends.
The mother of a cheerful little girl who has endured several heart surgeries spoke to the group about how much the wish granted to her young daughter meant to the child.
Seriously ill children melt your heart. Matt Palm of Matt Palm Construction donated $650 on the spot to help with the little girl’s medical bills.
Many of the children’s wishes involve air travel. The Make-a-Wish Foundation welcomes donations of frequent flier miles to assist with this expense.
John Glines was the good-natured and entertaining auctioneer, who pedaled a homemade apple pie for $600. Good work, John! Other homemade desserts brought similar amounts. There were, of course, also barbecues, trips and the like auctioned off.
In a recap interview, Jared commented, “It makes me happy that we keep giving these wishes away to deserving kids in our community. Words cannot describe how it feels,” he said, “after seeing a kid smile after getting his or her wish. It is hard to believe that, to date, we have given away 38 wishes, and there will be another six to seven wishes from this year’s event.”
If you want to hobnob with Helen, you may contact her at [email protected].
