Letter to the Frederick News Post Editor
From Mark Zeigler

Joel's Kids and the Frederick Keys Say Thank You!

On Wednesday, July 25, the 6th Annual Frederick Keys/SunTrust Charity Golf Classic was held at Rattlewood Golf Course, near Mt. Airy, MD. 
 
The event was dedicated to the memory of Joel Stephens, a former Baltimore Orioles minor league player, who tried to make a courageous and valiant comeback with the Frederick Keys last summer, but succumbed to colon cancer at the age of 22 on September 30, 1998.
 
The Keys have set up an endowment through the Community Foundation of Frederick County to start up the Joel A. Stephens Memorial Hospice Fund. This endeavor will be tied in with Hospice of Frederick County to start a program called “Joel’s Kids”, mainly for youngsters who are dealing with adversity, a handicap, or bereavement due to the death of a parent, grandparent or sibling.
Many people were involved in the success of this project, which helped raise over $10,500 from the charity golf classic towards the Joel A. Stephens Memorial Hospice Fund aka Joel’s Kids. Special thanks to Betsy Day of the Community Foundation of Frederick County for helping coordinate and organize Joel’s Kids, as we take it to that next step, and to Joel’s parents, Ron and Joyce Stephens who helped make the event very special. 
 
At this time we would like to recognize the following organizations and individuals for their support of this endeavor. 
 
Special thanks go to Gail Letts, Karen Meek, Kathryn Miller, Mark Barker, Deb Miller of SunTrust, the title sponsor of this event. Mike Wilson and his staff at Outback Steakhouse, who donated the excellent luncheon for our event; T. R. Snoots and the staff at Rattlewood Golf Course and Montgomery County Revenue Authority for their outstanding support in making it our best event to date. 
 
Other special thanks also go to Ed Griffith and Mike Naill of Laurel Pools for providing our Hole-N-One contest; Beverage Station sponsors, Eric Daniels of B P Solar, Tim Schlaugh of Alert: A Home Detention Center, Frank Erwin and Steve Grossnickle of Erwin Distributors, and Tom Breinich of Miller Lite. Longest Drive sponsors: Erv Hagy and Jim Enright of The Frederick News-Post. Closest to the Pin sponsor, Tom Witz and his staff at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Breakfast/Registration sponsor, M. J. Spalding of the Days Inn of Frederick.
 
Tee Box sponsors: Mark Turvin of BestofFrederick.com, Glen Orrison of East Coast Communications, Mary Pendergast of the Comfort Inn-Frederick, Tuesday AM BNI Group and Skate Frederick, Grant Pryseski of Jerry’s Subs & Pizza, David Dumm of Wolf’s Furniture, Mike Butala of Corporate Color, Brian Boswell of Mid-Atlantic Tile, Mark Acierno of Frederick Sport and Spine Clinic, Barbara Wratten of deSIGNS, Becky Barber of Brethren Mutual Insurance. Program sponsors: Jeff Shores of Joe Corbi’s Pizza, Mark Turvin of BestofFrederick.com, Rick Simon of Sir Speedy Printing and Tracey Yannity of Who, What & Wear Embroidery. 

Keys Player Sponsors: Gigi Wagner of MIE Properties, Jim, Lois and Dana Heyl of Moore’s Candies, Marie Floyd of Extraordinary Events!, Mike Henningsen of the Courtyard by Marriot, Cina Williams of the Fairfield Inn by Marriott, Ed Woods of Terrapin Systems, Mark Anders of Board, Borden & Anders, LLC., Eric Daniels of B. P. Solar, Jan Beem of Frederick Towne Mall, Bob Rough of Tournament Pros.
 
Many area residents volunteered their time and effort to helping make this event a wonderful success, both before and during the event: The staff of the Frederick Keys front office, especially Keys General Manager Joe Pinto, and Assistant General Manager Gina Stepoulos for their support in allowing us continue this special event for its sixth year. Behind the scenes we would like to thank the Keys sponsorship sales staff, Jimmy Sweet, Ernie Stepoulos and Shaun O’Neal. Our Public Relations Director, Mark Fine for helping promote the event, and Heather Clabaugh, for designing and typesetting our brochure and flyer. We would also like to thank Addie Staebler, Jennifer Martenot, Akiva Gross, Matt Gonzales, Rob Cunningham, Mark Kreider, Chris MacMurray, Kelly Crum, Brad Lowe, Matt Frost, Tami Hetrick, and Chris Roop for their help at the event. We would also like to acknowledge Paul Dever, Dave Wisner, Gail Seimer and Katy Hampson.
 
Among the other volunteers who helped during this event included Virginia Shaw, Barb Freund, Willard Rudy, Bill Wong, Margaret Fox, Michelle Simmons, Sue Strevig, Donna Carroll, Colleen Haines, Maria Underwood, Debbie Nikirk, Renee Stambaugh, Andy Levy, Sr., Stan Share, Dana Lough, Judy Miller, Dana Heyl and the Stephens Family. Our official photographers were Charlie Covell and Tracy Alley.
  
Joel’s Kids also had the fortune to have a website (www.joelskids.org) compliments of 270net.com. Many thanks go out to Ken Malnar, Dave van Nevel, Margaret McWilliams and Rob Lyons of Roar Design to put in many hours to have the site ready and updated for our event over the past two years.
 
Many different businesses helped provide prizes and goody bag items for this event. Among the businesses who donated silent auction items included the Baltimore Orioles, the Tufton Group, SunTrust, the Frederick Keys, Ovations, PEPSI, Courtyard Inn by Marriott, Fairfield Inn By Marriott, Linganore Winecellars, Frederick Magazine, NBC 25, Cracked Claw, Joe Corbi’s Pizza Kits, and Custom Clubs of Frederick. Other businesses who donated foursome or door prizes included: Erwin Distributors (George Killian’s Irish Red), the Frederick Keys, The Bees Distributing Co. (Budweiser), Joe Corbi’s Pizza, Outback Steakhouse, Diane Miller-Marsden Massage Therapy, West Winds GC, PEPSI and Mountain Dew, Merrill Lynch, Accents Embroidery. The Bees Distributing Company, Erwin Distributing Company, Larkin Wholesale Company and Pepsi for product for the event, and to Tournament Pros, who donated several items and split the proceeds with their raffle on the 4th hole.
 
In addition, several sponsors donated items that were disbursed in each of the 200 goody bags that were handed out to each of the golfers and volunteers for the event.

Special thanks also go out to our special guests, which included the Stephens Family; the Mayor of the City of Frederick, Jim Grimes; Don Buford, Marv Foley and Dave Stockstill of the Baltimore Orioles; Frederick Keys Manager, Dave Cash, Coach Jack Voigt, and participating Keys players: Charles Alley, Travis Fleming, Thomas Ford, Brian Forystek, Sonny Garcia, Sean Jones, Tony Mack, Chris Moreno, Randy Perez, Terry Plank, and trainer Mark Shires. Also participating were Jon Danos of the Bowie Baysox, Christy Hoos, Dan Clemmens, Mark DiNardo, Frank Miceli, and Joe Farnon of Comcast-Spectacor, plus Mike Brulatour of Ovations.
 
The foursomes who participated included SunTrust, Keebler, the Baltimore Orioles, Outback Steakhouse, AOPA, NBC25, Frederick Athletic Club, East Coast Communications, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Joe Corbi’s Pizza Kits, Brethren Mutual Insurance, Corporate Color, Courtyard by Marriott, Ramsburg Radiator, Mid-Atlantic Tile, Blockbuster Video, Carroll Independent Fuel, BB&T, Budweiser, Laurel Pools, Advanced Telecom Group (ATG), B P Solar, The Stephens Family, Shockley Honda, MIE Properties, Outback Steakhouse, ToysRUs, ECI 2, Frederick Towne Mall, Dobson-Cellular, Leadership Frederick County, and The Frederick News-Post.
 
Many thanks also go to Charlie Covell, who was instrumental in his support of Joel’s Kids, and his Frederick Tuesday AM BNI group who so enthusiastically have helped contribute for this event: Eric Johnson of Audio Visual Services, who donated the use of his sound equipment for out awards luncheon, Terri Ploski of Accents Embroidery, Rhonda Yagy of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Lisa Williams of Skate Frederick, Sharon Eyler of A Country Florist, Cindy Wrenn of O’Conor, Piper & Flynn Realty, and Jeff Austin of JAMMEN DJ’s, and Michelle Mitchell of Healthy Solutions. Also special thanks to Michael’s and Burton’s Coins & Cards for their support.

A very special thanks goes out to Joel’s parents, Ron and Joyce Stephens of Tioga, PA, his paternal grandparents, Mr. And Mrs. Emmett Stephens, his brother, Aaron Stephens, sister-in-law, Nicole Stephens, and his cousins, Becky Stone, Deb Bowers, whose active support has helped make Joel’s Kids become a reality, and to Ted Bowers, Jason Stone, Mike D’Aloisio, and Rick Miller, who represented the Stephens family by participating in this event.

As you can see, the response for Joel’s Kids has been overwhelming. On behalf of the Frederick Keys, and our parent company, Comcast-Spectacor; SunTrust, Outback Steakhouse, and the Stephens Family, we would like to give everyone involved a big “Thank You” for their support and cooperation in helping make “Joel’s Kids” a reality in Frederick County.

MARK ZEIGLER
Tournament Director,
Frederick Keys/SunTrust Charity Golf Classic
Founder, Joel’s Kids
www.joelskids.org