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Stafford family pays it forward with sixth annual 'Madisonation' Golf Tournament, this year for baby Ella

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo of Ella Suhr; she and her family are the designated recipients of this year's "Madisonation" Golf Tournament proceeds.

Kevin Muckle, of Stafford, is continuing the fight against childhood cancer and has organized the sixth annual "Madisonation" Golf Tournament, which will be held at Hickory Ridge Golf Tournament this Sunday (Aug. 28).

Hickory Ridge Golf Resort and Country Club is located at 15816 Lynch Road in Holley.

The tournament's motto is "Never Give Up."

His family never did. Madison Marie Muckle was diagnosed just after her third birthday. She endured two and a half years of treatment and received her final round of chemo in April of 2013.

Today Kevin's 8-year-old daughter is cancer free. This thankful dad has spearheaded the tournament each year on her behalf and for other children battling acute lymphocytic leukemia and other children cancers.

Since the tournament began, recipients of the annual proceeds have included Golisano Children's Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and a local family with a 4-year-old daughter who is fighting the disease. More than $6,800 was raised for that family.

This year, proceeds will be donated to the family of Ella Suhr, who is about 8 months old and was diagnosed in March with primitive neuroectodermal tumor, a cancerous neural crest tumor that is extremely rare.

The funds raised on Sunday will help her parents with medical expenses, travel costs (to Tampa, Fla., and Rochester) and bills that continue to mount while they strive to save their baby girl's life. The parents, Joe and Maegan Suhr, are both local school teachers, and have been out of work since the diagnosis and will continue to be for the next several months.

"Please help us in our efforts to help Ella and her family beat this disease," Muckle said.

Sunday's event is a semi-competitive best ball tournament, with prizes awarded to the lowest men's, ladies, and mixed team scores.

The registration fee is $380 per foursome. Individual golfers seeking a team are $95 each. Those who wish to skip golf and just enjoy the banquet and fundraiser are just $30 each.

The tournament schedule is:

  • 8 a.m. -- Registration/check in begins
  • 9 a.m. -- Shotgun start
  • 2 p.m.-ish -- "The Cool Down"
  • 3 p.m. -- Presentations
  • 3:15 p.m. -- Dinner is served
  • 4 p.m. -- Guest Speaker: Ernie DiGregorio
  • 4:15 p.m. -- Raffles for prizes
  • 4:30 p.m. -- Check presentation to Suhr Family

Contact Kevin Muckle at (585) 300-7499 with any questions or to contribute or donate to the tournament and this cause. Any donations can be mailed to: Madisonation, 9206 Transit Road, Stafford, NY 14143.

Visit the Madisonation website by clicking here.

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