Sun City Carolina Lakes’ first Pink Golf Tournament will be held Monday, Oct. 14, at the Sun City Golf Course. Money raised will go to Breast Screening Source of York County, a nonprofit dedicated to providing preventative care, early detection and treatment of breast cancer for women in York, Lancaster and Chester counties.

Tournament participants will play in teams to try to score holes-in-one while fighting for a good cause, said Marilyn Navarro, Sun City resident and tournament committee member.

Rock Hill residents Suzie Wright, Wendy DiEduardo and Kim Brock and Rosemary Clement of Fort Mill formed the Breast Screening Source of York County in 2010.

“We knew there was a need in the area for people to have free mammograms,” Brock said.

The organization’s members work from their homes and partner with local organizations, including the Charlotte Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Komen, which awarded the organization a grant in 2010. That year, Breast Screening Source did 35 mammograms, Brock said.

Breast Screening Source of York County received $30,000 in grants this year from local groups, including the Komen Foundation, Junior Welfare League of York County and Fort Mill Rotary Club, Brock said.

Each year,Fort Mill Rotary Club holds an auction to raise $65,000 to $80,000 for more than 15 local organizations, club president Jeff Harr said.

“People in our club love this community,” he said.

After hearing the Breast Screening Source ladies speak at one of their meetings, Harr said the club decided to include the organization in this year’s pool of grants.

“We all know some affected by [breast cancer],” he said. “We felt strongly about this organization.”

Harr said he hopes Breast Screening Source will reapply for the grant this year.

“We looking forward to giving it to them again,” he said.

In the past two years, the organization has helped more than 54 women with mammograms, three of which detected cancer, Brock said.

The organization partners with Charlotte Radiology, Women’s Diagnostic Center and Piedmont Medical Center to provide the mammograms and screenings.

Co-founder Clement works at PMC and assists women who have been diagnosed with cancer to recieve Medicaid so they can have the proper treatment, Brock said.

“[The women] are always very grateful,” she said. “We want to help more ladies in our area.”

The Vista Ladies of Sun City Carolina Lakes organized the tournament to help the local group in its fight against breast cancer, Navarro said.

She said many Sun City residents are breast cancer survivors.

“They were very supportive of organizing this type of event,” she said. “It’s a personal commitment wanting to do something to help others.”

There will be two nine-hole tournaments on the 18-hole golf course. The tournament is open to anyone who wishes to join a team. It costs $60 per person to play, and all proceeds will benefit Breast Screening Source of York County.

Tournament organizers hope to raise $15,000.

Participants also will have the chance to win prizes, including a golf cart, and will leave with a gift bag of items donated by local businesses, Navarro said. There will be a reception following the tournament.

A silent auction will be held from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at the Sun City club house.

Pink balloons can be purchased in honor of loved ones and survivors and will be released that night.

Participants and guests can also purchase a pink flamingo, which represents the Breast Screening Source’s motto – “Breast Cancer is for the Birds,” Navarro said.

Pink ribbons, donated by the Susan G. Komen Foundation, will be given for donations of at least $10.

“We hope to have a lot of pink ribbons visible on that day,” Navarro said.

Information on breast cancer screenings and treatment will be available in the club house.

“We want to educate people, help with prevention and detection through screening, celebrate and remember our survivors,” Navarro said.

For more information, call 803-802-4773.

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By Amanda Phipps - .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)