Longboat Key Club takes another swing at Go for the Cure

The greens were a little rosier than usual at the Longboat Key Club on Tuesday. About 150 golfers wore just under that many shades of pink to Go for the Cure. The annual golf day raises money for Breast Health Sarasota Inc.  

While the tournament has been around much longer, it only started benefiting Breast Health in 2013. After this year’s donation, the Women’s Golf Association will have donated over $500,000 to the organization. 

Both the 18-hole and 9-hole leagues organize, fundraise and play together. Paula Norwood chaired on behalf of the 18-holers and Barbara Botein on behalf of the Key Niners. Back in the day, even the husbands joined in. 

“Then, everybody would volunteer,” Bunny Skirboll said. “I remember my husband coming and blowing up balloons.” 

This year’s tables were set up with flutes of pink lemonade and pink pool noodles shaped as breast cancer ribbons. But decorations were the icing on the cake. The women outdid themselves fundraising nearly $100,000, and the silent auction was set to put them over the top.  

“We had a lot of donations from people outside the club. Friends and family contribute. We begged, no, solicited.” Co-chair Barbara Botein said. “It’s a charity that lots of people support because almost every lady in here has been affected by breast cancer in some way.”