(Call Out) What You Can Do

Tee someone off.

The Cadillac of Tournaments

I consider myself a hard worker, so hard that I never made time for golf. In all honesty, many times I have made that statement with a sense of self-importance and arrogant pride. That was before I met Della.

Della is a hard worker and plays golf. She first emailed us November 5, 2004 after reading one of these columns. She brought us dinner the next week and has brought dinner at least once a month ever since, along with a pleasant visit and light conversation.

A few weeks ago Della called us out of the blue and asked if we would be open to her planning a golf tournament to benefit our family. I told her even though we aren’t golfers, we have done successful tournaments in the past, but that last year the tournament just didn’t seem to “come together.” We don’t know why. Della was not dissuaded.

In just a few short weeks, we have seen that she is a real go-getter, a person that does what she says she is going to do – and then some. She has organized a core group of people– people we have never met - to help her. Together they have already rounded up several sponsors and prizes for the tournament she is certain will be successful.

They have talked with Andrews Cadillac and arranged a prize of a two-year lease on a brand new Cadillac SRX SUV for a Hole-in-One prize. They have also received sponsorship and prizes from Paradise Hair Salon, Nina Foley DDS, Moody's Tire & Auto Service, Carraba's Italian Grill, Golf Galaxy, Franklin Therapeutic Massage, State Farm Insurance agent John C. Slaughter, Paul T. Nowak-Attorney at law, The Heirloom Shop, Rhea Little Tire & Auto Repair, Golf Technologies, Red Lobster, and Aramark. The list grows daily.

I told Marcy last week that Della would have been a great person to know when Marcy was still involved with Happy Tales. She (Della) is great at organizing fundraisers. I suspect she is great at whatever she does.

I have been to the beach, the mountains, and even the creek in our neighborhood and been reminded of how much bigger God is than I am. Though I don’t play, I have been on golf courses and can see how the natural surroundings can foster peace and the presence of God.

Seeing Della and her group in action does the same thing. I see them and everyone participating in the tournament having fun helping someone else.

I now see playing golf as one way of obeying God’s greatest commandments: Love God with all your heart and soul and love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22: 36-40)

If you know someone in need, consider organizing a fundraiser for them. It may help make them whole in the One.

Want to be driving a Cadillac SUV? Please join us for the Mulligans for Marcy golf tournament Thursday, September 22 at Fairways on Spencer Creek. See EveryDayIsPrecious.com for details and registration.

Every Day Is Precious is a column to remind us to treat everyone we see today as if it could be the last time we see them. It is written by Rob Payne, whose wife, Marcy, was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) in August of 2000. Now 42 years old, she has gone from winning 5 and 10K races to being quadriplegic and on a ventilator at home. For a collection of these columns in book form, more ways to help others, more about Marcy, or to receive email updates on her condition, visit www.EveryDayIsPrecious.com. Readers may contribute to her care by sending donations to Every Day Is Precious, 2051 Harvington Drive, Franklin, TN, 37069.

If you have helped someone without being asked, or know of someone who has, share it with others. Send to rob@everydayisprecious.com or to Every Day Is Precious, 2051 Harvington Drive, Franklin, TN. 37069.