The Event
The Orange Tree Women’s Golf Association Breast Cancer Tournament, one of the largest and certainly one of the most successful community-sponsored programs supporting Women Playing For T.I.M.E., held its fifth yearly golf tournament on March 9, 2009.
The success of this tournament is largely made possible by the Wisne Family who owns Orange Tree Golf Club/Cresthill Inc. Corp. and donates their beautiful private golf course, in the heart of Orlando, to the ladies of the Orange Tree Women’s Golf Association. This event has grown to 100 women, all banding together to make a difference in defeating the disease that takes the lives of mothers, sisters, friends and lovers. Their mission is to spread the word throughout the community, reaching out to small businesses and friends to sponsor the cause. You’ll find each tee and green at the event each year sponsored in memory of, or in honor of, those who have been touched by cancer.
The Tournament followed a Shotgun format, followed by lunch with guest speakers including Elaine Lustig, Co-Founder and Chair of WPFT, Dr. Buck Brown, President & CEO of M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and Cheryl Collins, VP of the Orlando Health Foundation.
The Chair
For the past five years, Donna Martin has been the backbone and chair of the Orange Tree Women’s Golf Association Breast Cancer Tournament. Donna found a home at WPFT after meeting Elaine Lustig and Sheila Solomon through her membership in the Orlando Women’s Golf Association. She remembers Sheila as “a special lady” who was compassionate when her father passed away and made a donation in his memory to M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando.
Since then, Donna has a long history with WPFT, whose contributions benefit the women of Central Florida. She was co-chair and chair for the Isleworth Golf Event and plays in the Lake Nona tournament as well. She then decided to focus on her own neighborhood, Orange Tree, and the Women’s Golf Association. It is said that it takes a village to raise a child and Donna believes it takes a neighborhood of dedicated women to find the cure for cancer.
She laughs as she recalls how she came to live at Orange Tree over 18 years ago. Her housemate, Pauline, convinced her to see this new development, which at the time was surrounded by orange groves and not much else! They arrived at the sales center at 6:30 am so they would be the first to select their lot. But as others were arriving, Pauline realized that when the office opened, no one would know they were first so she took action! She posted a sheet on the door and instructed all arrivals to sign-in so their place was secured. Donna also credits Pauline with getting her more involved in golf. And what better community to live in than Orange Tree?
As a retired Navy Commander, Donna takes on all challenges with gusto and always has the “end in mind.” Since enlisting in the Navy in 1961, she has a history of being a barrier-buster and was the first woman selected for the Medical Service Corps In-Service Procurement Program which saw her promoted to Ensign. She says one of the highlights of her career was the position of Officer in Charge for the Presidential Unit at Bethesda Naval Hospital where she coordinated all Presidential medical visits including President Jimmy Carter, President Ronald Reagan, President Gerald Ford and Vice President George H. W. Bush.
Donna visits her mom and sister for two months every year in upstate New York and smiles warmly as she describes her mom as her hero. She taught Donna always to stay positive, to help others and never to give up. Her mom’s positive outlook on life has been passed on to Donna. Donna provides all the prizes for the golf tournament and each year tries to add a new touch to the event. One year she purchased 100 little pink ducks and had all players write the name of someone special touched by cancer on their duck. The ducks were then placed in the water along the 16th and 18th fairway so all could view the parade of ducks as they played for a cure.
This group doesn’t stop at their yearly golf tournament but raises additional funds through community raffles, bake sales, neighborhood garage sales, Bunko night at the Orange Tree Community Center and gift wrapping during the holiday season at the local Barnes & Noble.
The Results
There were ten winning teams this year with Donna’s team leading the way. However, she related that all the teams were winners having benefited from playing in the event and supporting the search for and treatment of breast cancer and all other cancers as they relate to women. She is already looking forward to next year's great event on March 8, 2010.
Our Sponsors
Cresthill, Inc./Orange Tree Golf Club
Gift In Kind Donations
Sign-a-Rama
Ross Martin
Panera Bread - Orlando
Precept/Bridgestone Golf, Inc.
Frankly Golf – “The Frog Putter”
Edwin Watts Golf
We all win as we move closer to a cure for cancer. Please join our efforts! For more information about how you can organize a community event or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, volunteer work or donating to Women Playing For T.I.M.E., please contact Lynda Canatay at 321.841.2272 or lynda.canatay@orlandohealth.com.
Find your passion and help find a cure for cancer. Get involved today!
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