POWAY CHIEFTAN NEWS ARTICLE

http://www.pomeradonews.com/2013/06/21/inaugural-golf-tourney-will-fund-drug-education/

LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 PAGE A3

BY ELIZABETH MARIE HIMCHAK

Inaugural golf tourney will generate funds for drug education

Those who want to participate in the inaugural Oakwood-4HOPE Celebrity Golf Classic two-day event will need to act fast.  As of Monday, there was room for only 24 more golfers in the July 13 tournament at Carmel Mountain Ranch Country Club that will have a sports or entertainment celebrity play with each foursome. More tickets were available for the post tournament evening festivities and there was limited availability for a July 12 pre-tournament VIP Meet and Greet. The latter will take place at the Powerhouse Beach Venue in Del Mar. Party tickets are $50 per person. To buy, contact Angie Stanley at 858-217-5248.

 As for the golf tournament and dinner, its proceeds will benefit The H.O.P.E. Foundation, a nonprofit organization started by Poway residents Sherrie and Michael Rubin. Its name stands for heroin, opiate, prescription pill and education. Through the foundation the Rubins share the story of their son, Aaron, who in 2005 overdosed on oxycontin, spent more than three weeks in a coma and ended up a quadriplegic who cannot speak. In 2009 Sherrie Rubin started sharing her son’s experience at schools throughout the county, warning students and their parents about the dan­gers of misusing prescription medications. The educational program also addresses il­legal drug use plus alcohol abuse. Stanley, vice president of sales and marketing at the Rancho Bernardo-based Oakwood Escrow, said the company began its associa­tion with the foundation after real estate agents learned some people were coming to open houses not to see the homes but raid their medi­cine cabinets.

 “They do not take the whole bottle, but one or two pills,” Stanley said. “Even if it is not their drug of choice, they sell it.” Some prescription pain medications, such as oxycon­tin, can be sold for around $80 per pill, law enforcement officials have said. Stanley said the founda­tion helped real estate agents learn about the potential crime and encouraged them to have clients remove their medications prior to open houses. For this reason, the company decided to hold a fundraiser benefiting the nonprofit.

 Through Stanley’s con­nections, Oakwood Escrow was able to get NFL Hall of Famer and former Charger Wes Chandler, along with Cindy Matalucci from The Pulse and Little Tommy Sa­blan from KYXY 96.5’s “Jeff & Jer Showgram” to serve as celebrity hosts. Stanley said Chandler has recruited many of the participating ce­lebrities who include current and former Chargers, San Diego Sockers, Padres, other baseball players plus a MMA Fighter and a few actors.

 The registration fee for golfers is $200, which in­cludes admission to the VIP party, green fees, golf cart, tournament breakfast and lunch, post-tournament reception and dinner. Non-golfers may attend the post-tournament reception and dinner for $100.

To register, go to www.golfdigestplanner. com/23059-Oakwood4HOPE or call 858-217-5248.

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