Young Students Organize Golf Outing To Benefit Childrens Hospital
Cole Ekert, a 15-year-old freshman at Chatham High School, and sisters Syney Lapper 15, and Whitney Lapper, 12, of Gill. St. Bernard's School, are giving back to the Goryeb Children’s Hospital at Morristown Medical Center in the way of a golf event.
Ekert, who plays on the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) and Hurricane Tours and has already won an event, and the Lapper sisters are planning a day for junior golfers on Thursday, June 7, at 4 p.m. at Roxiticus Golf Club in Mendham.
The Juniors Fore Goryeb Outing is for junior golfers, ages 10 to 17, who wish to participate in the tournament. The fee is $100 and includes a banquet dinner. Adults can attend the dinner for $35 each. Hole sponsors are also welcome.
The goal is to raise money for the Goryeb Children’s Hospital.
"Since we are a golf family and the girls have been active for several years with the Kids For Kids Foundation at Morristown Medical Center they wanted to do something to make a difference," said Melissa Lapper, mother of the two girls.
"It was their passion for golf coupled with their desire to give back that inspired the outing. Our daughters decided 'If adults can play golf to raise money for a good cause than why can’t kids?' ”
Sydney Lapper is a freshman at Gill St Bernard’s while her sister, Whitney is in sixth grade at Gill as well. Sydney plays on the golf team.
Said Cole Ekert: “I was born at Morristown Hospital and I have Crohn’s Disease. I’ve been to Goryeb many times and I just want to help. I want to see improvements, specifically to a meditative garden outside where kids used to go play on nice days. It needs repair. We want to put in new plants and spruce it up and make it nicer for kids.”
Ekert, who carries a 1.5 handicap and hopes to be part of the Chatham High School golf team this spring, excelled in soccer, baseball and lacrosse until he broke a collar bone in a soccer game three years ago. While being kept from playing contact sports, he turned to golf and now can’t get enough of the sport.
Thanks to Goryeb Hospital,he also has his Chrone’s Disease under control.
“I really started to enjoy golf when I was playing in tournaments in the summer of 2016. I did well and I decided to stay with it. It’s taken me to a cool position. I’m looking forward my future in golf,” said Ekert, who is a caddie at Fairmount Country Club in Chatham.
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