Deciding to honor the memory of a deceased friend by hosting a charity event is certainly admirable. But continuing that tradition for 27 years after that friend’s passing is truly an amazing accomplishment. It is this level of determination for a group of friends that keeps the memory of Steven Cox alive year after year, while simultaneously raising money for cancer charities.
On October 3, 2016, the 27th annual Steven A. Cox Charity Classic will be held at the New Jersey National Golf Club in Basking Ridge. “Our goal is to host 128 golfers, who we refer to as ‘Friends of Steve,’ and raise $75,000 for RCINJ (Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey),” says Michael Forrestall, treasurer of the Steven A. Cox Foundation.
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According to Forrestall, this year’s fundraising focus is on three specific initiatives within RCINJ: The Ladies Professional Golf Association in the Fight to Eradicate breast cancer (LIFE) Center, the Prostate Cancer Program and the Steven A. Cox Scholarship in Cancer Research.
Since 1990, the foundation has raised a whopping $6.5 million for various children’s and cancer charities. “The Cox Classic started with just eight golfers and over the years grew to become the largest one-day amateur charity golf event in the country, with some 700 golfers spread over six different golf courses,” says Steven A. Cox Foundation chair Michael Marion. “At the pinnacle,” continues Marion, “we even had two New York City radio programs broadcasting live from our event.”
Marion explains, however, the foundation eventually made the decision to regroup and “focused on making the event smaller and more intimate and eventually redirected our support to Rutgers and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.”
But just what kind of person was Steven Cox, to inspire such an event? By all accounts, Steve (as he was known to his family and friends) was a true fighter who remained optimistic in the face of his cancer.
Although he was born in Long Island, Steve was a Jersey boy at heart. His childhood was spent in Edison before attending St. Pius High School in Piscataway. After graduating from the University of Scranton in 1980, Steve received his MBA with honors from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1983. He married his wife Donna Scruggs in 1989 and enjoyed spending his free time running and golfing.
When he was diagnosed with a rare cancerous tumor on his hip bone in 1989, Steve’s friends rallied around him, hosting the very first Steven A. Cox Charity Classic in 1990. This gathering of the “Original Eight” raised $2,000 with a golf-a-thon, and the rest is history.
Those in attendance at this year’s event will hear keynote speaker Subha Barry, a six-time cancer survivor who is actively involved with supporting the Rutgers Cancer Institute. Barry’s inspirational story will ring true for anyone who has helped a loved one through a cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Despite the huge charitable contributions made by the Steven A. Cox Charity Classic, Marion feels that there is an even greater achievement that’s been made. “The Cox Classic’s success and longevity is especially gratifying- people have such limited time these days and so many choices for both entertainment and philanthropic causes. We’ve raised a lot of money over the years and are approaching the $7 million mark, which is a wonderful accomplishment for all who’ve participated,” says Marion.
“But I think what’s most gratifying is the legacy we’ve created for Steve Cox, the tourney’s namesake, who left us far too young back in 1991,” continues Marion. “His family returns every year, which is so wonderful. And the many ‘friends of Steve’ – those who actually knew him and those who’ve come to know about him over the years – who return year after year is nothing short of inspiring, as are all of the cancer fighters we’ve met and honored over 27 years…some we’ve lost, some still with us.”
“Finally, creating the Steven A. Cox Scholarship in Cancer Research at Rutgers University is affirmation about the future and the range of cures still out there to be discovered, and the next generation of young, upcoming researchers that will help bring those cures to life.”
If you’d like to get involved with the Cox Charity Classic, you can participate as a player, join as a corporate sponsor or even directly make a donation. For more information on attending or sponsoring the 27th annual Steven A. Cox Charity Classic, visit the official website here.
Hero (Top) Feature Image: © Cox Charity Classic / Facebook
Additional Images (in Order) Courtesy:
Cox Charity Classic / Website
Cox Charity Classic / Website
Cox Charity Classic / Facebook
