Every year, Scott Kruse announces his guest speaker for the 18 FORE Life banquet is going to be the most inspirational ever -- and he's never failed to produce. This year is no exception.
The 2018 venue at the annual banquet departs a bit from the norm in that the speaker is not a noted figure in the world of sports, but the message of John O'Leary is every bit as inspirational as past speakers who have continued to make the 18 Fore Life banquet a successful event each June.
While most past banquet speakers have survived cancer or have had a family member who has battled the disease, John O'Leary is a survivor of a different nature.
At the age of nine, O'Leary suffered burns over 100 percent of his body while playing with matches and gasoline in his family's garage. The burns were so severe that doctors told his parents he would not survive. Against all odds, he did. He spent months in the hospital and faced dozens of surgeries and years of therapy. Before he was 10 years old, he lost all his fingers to amputation due to the severe burns he suffered.
These days, O'Leary speaks across the country, inspiring others to do three things in life:
To navigate adversity through decision-making;
to reveal a brighter vision for what's possible;
and to live boldly to impact others.
John O'Leary speaks to more than 50,000 people at over 100 events annually. Laced with unexpected humor, he is billed as an emotional story teller whose authenticity makes his presentation transformational.
The Ben Kruse Memorial 18 FORE Life Charity Golf event is slated to take place on the weekend of June 1-2. The banquet will take place on Friday night, June 1, with the golf tournament slated for Saturday. According to Scott Kruse, some banquet tickets remain on sale at a cost of $30 each, and there are a few openings for teams for Saturday's golf tournament. Contact Kruse at 614-0503.
Each year, a love offering recipient or family member also is invited to speak at the Friday night banquet. This year, members of the Pixley family will be on hand to honor the memory of their recently deceased brother, Adam, whose life was claimed after a long, but valiant battle with cancer.
The 18 FORE Life Charity has raised more than $2.2 million since its inception in 2000. The charity, through a number of annual events and primarily through the June golf tournament and banquet, provides love offerings to area families in $1,000 increments as they face the challenges of a cancer diagnosis.