First Annual Bill Rams Memorial Golf Tournament raises over $12K for MDA

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., July 20, 2006 – On Saturday, the Stoneman Douglas High School Class of 1994 held its first annual Bill Rams Memorial Golf Tournament at the Coral Springs Country Club to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The event was named after an SDHS class of ’94 alumnus who succumbed to a brain aneurysm late last year. He was 28 years old. Bill’s high school class dedicated this tournament to his honor, with all proceeds benefiting an organization was very important to Bill, the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Bill Rams worked tirelessly with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and inspired many people through his unique ability to relate to those around him. Bill was a regular camp counselor at MDA’s annual Summer Camp for youth’s with neuromuscular diseases. “Billy had an aura of compassion – a glow that could in fact be seen. It was difficult to overlook and easily contagious. It inspired groups to laugh, rooms to cheer and also people to glow. I will never fail to be inspired by my memories of him,” said Dorian, one of Bill’s MDA campers.

The group of over 100 participants enjoyed an afternoon round of golf followed by dinner, an auction, and awards ceremony. This event brought together SDHS alumni, local business and community leaders to raise funds for MDA, raise awareness of neuromuscular disorders, and memorialize a man that gave much of his life to helping others. As the school’s first full four-year graduating class, the goal of the Stoneman Douglas High School Class of 1994 is to help their school and community while staying connected to their "home". The inaugural event was a huge success that raised over $12,000 for MDA. The funds raised provide services to local children and adults with muscular dystrophy.
MDA provides assistance with the purchase and repair of wheelchairs, leg braces, and communication devices. Medical treatment at an MDA clinic, support groups, and a week-long summer camp for youth ages 6-21 are also provided at no charge to families.

About MDA

MDA is a voluntary health agency working to defeat neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive health and community services, and far-reaching professional and public health education. The Association's programs are funded almost entirely by individual private contributors.
For more information, readers may call the MDA regional office at (561) 742-3748, or access MDA's Web site at www.mdausa.org.

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