On July 13, golfers from across the state joined forces with the Ohio State Building and Construction Trade Council to raise thousands of dollars for diabetes research.
For the first time in its history, the annual OSBCTC event was used to raise money for a charitable cause.
The scramble raised $45,935 for Dollars against Diabetes Day (D.a.D.’s Day), which is an annual campaign organized by the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO to fund diabetes research. All the money raised went to D.a.D.’s Day.
Held at NorthStar Golf Club, 120 golfers attended the scramble on a beautiful, sunny day.
The outing began with a shotgun start at 9 am and included door prizes, a raffle and banquet once the round was finished.
“I was really happy with the outcome. It was our first endeavor to assist D.a.D.’s Day and we exceeded expectations,” said Duffy.
“I want to thank all the golfers, the executive board and sponsors. Tim Hyland was extremely helpful in bringing sponsors aboard,” Duffy said.
Diabetes is one of the nation’s deadliest diseases and affects the body’s ability to create or control insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) National Diabetes Statistics Report for 2014, reported cases of diabetes have increased nearly 13% over the past four years. They estimate 29.1 million people, or 9.3 percent of the U.S. population, has diabetes, including 8.1 million people who have the disease, but have not yet been diagnosed.
Over the years, with the help of State and Local Councils around the country, the D.a.d.’s Day campaign has donated more than $40 million dollars to the Diabetes Research Institute, located at the University of Miami.
The Diabetes Research Institute’s mission is to cure diabetes now. They have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to proceed with a Phase I/II clinical trial for a process they believe can eventually lead to a cure for diabetes.
In just its first year raising funds, the OSBCTC raised the third most ever for a single D.a.D.’s Day event.
Duffy hopes the outing becomes an annual fundraiser for D.a.D.’s Day.