Tee Up Fore the Cure Raises $236,000 for T1D Research
Caption: Sponsors and friends of Tee Up gather to celebrate the achievement of $220,000 raised at this year’s event and present the checks to Breakthrough T1D (Formerly JDRF) and Children’s Wisconsin.
On October 31, Jim and David Leef presented checks totaling $236,000 to representatives from Breakthrough T1D and the Max McGee Center at Children’s Wisconsin on behalf of Tee Up Fore the Cure.
This year’s golf outing was held on Monday, September 16 at Grand Geneva in Lake Geneva, WI, and saw an impressive turnout of 200 golfers and 50+ sports/media celebrities. Special guests included former Brewers relief pitcher, Ken Sanders, retired Bucks announcer Jim Paschke, and this year’s featured celebrity guest, Olympic speed skater, Bonnie Blair.
“I never would have imagined that our small outing started in 2006 in memory of my dad would have grown to a sell-out event drawing in featured celebrities like Robin Yount, Rollie Fingers, Gorman Thomas, Jim Gantner, Junior Bridgeman, Paul Molitor, Fergie Jenkins, and Bonnie Blair,” says Jim Leef, president and CEO of ITU AbsorbTech.
“My family and I are thankful for the support of our generous sponsors, celebrities, and committee members, and in particular, our collaboration with Ken Sanders, who joined the event in 2016 for his grandson who has Type 1.”
The McGee Center plans to use the money to purchase a Vizgen Merscope to help support a research project identifying gene differences between those with Type 1 and those without. The funds for Breakthrough T1D will be directed to the New England Center of Excellence to support groundbreaking research projects focused on T1D cures.
About Tee Up Fore the Cure
Diabetes research is a cause close to the heart of the Leef family and ITU AbsorbTech. George L. Leef, ITU AbsorbTech’s second-generation president, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1929, shortly after the discovery of insulin. With the help of exercise and diet management, George lived a full life with the aid of hundreds of thousands of blood checks and shots. He suffered from diabetic neuropathy for years before passing away in 2007.
Throughout his life, George demonstrated remarkable generosity by contributing to diabetes research. He was a compassionate and dedicated family man, touching the lives of all who were fortunate enough to know him. In honor of George’s passion for the game, the inaugural Tee Up Fore the Cure was held in 2006.
Since its start in 2006, Tee Up Fore the Cure has raised over $1.25 million to support T1D research.
Next year’s event will be held on September 15, 2025.
Learn more about Tee Up Fore the Cure at teeupforethecure.com
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