The Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation hosted its second annual golf outing Monday to benefit the organization’s Teen Kit program for hospitalized children.
The 20-year-old foundation is a national nonprofit that provides age-appropriate programs and activities for children and teens receiving treatment for cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Gisele DiNatale, president and co-founder, was inspired to create the foundation after the death of her daughter, Alicia Rose, who died at 16 from a rare cancer with no treatment protocol.
“She battled for 13 months enduring in-patient and out-patient treatment and was in and out of a children’s hospital,” DiNatale said. “During her time there, as a 16-year-old, there wasn’t much for teens her age to do, as it was largely a younger pediatric environment.”
The golf outing at Marlton’s Little Mill Country Club was initiated through a partnership with Jim and Mary Dooney, owners of Dooney’s Pub and Restaurant in Voorhees. The Dooney’s reached out to the foundation three years ago with the idea of hosting the golf outing, and while the foundation expressed interest, the idea was put on hold by COVID.
DiNatale explained that last year, once the nonprofit’s staff felt comfortable enough to safely host a golf outing, they reached out to the Dooney’s.
“Last June, we were delighted that we were in a safe place and could now hold the event,” DiNatale noted. “The Dooney team did an outstanding job in rallying their supporters, and we had an outstanding event and a really fun day.“
The golf outing event included contests, games, cash prizes, lunch and a barbecue and a raffle. Dinner included an awards presentation and auction. Proceeds raised will help the foundation’s Teen Kit program support hospitalized teens who are 13 and older.
The program provides backpacks that contain items to meet a child’s needs in the hospital or at home, including socks, lip balm, an activity journal and a custom bandana pillow. According to the nonprofit, more than 22,000 hospitalized teens and young adults have received one of its kits since 2005.
DiNatale emphasized the purpose of the golf outing and why it’s important to her foundation.
“The ultimate goal of the golf outing is to support hospitalized children with Victorious 4 Teens programs and activities,” she noted. “The proceeds we raised will go to patients being treated for cancer or other life-threatening illnesses.”
For more information about the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation and its programs, visit www.victoriousfoundation.org.
