Wilmington, DE – On November 30, the Sones family of Dover, Delaware presented a check for $3300 to the Nemours Fund for Children’s Health, to benefit the Nemours Center for Childhood Cancer Research (NCCCR). The funds were raised by Braydin (11) and Torin (8) Sones on behalf of their sister Karina (10). The boys have spent the past year—their second year —collecting, cleaning, and selling thousands of golf balls, all in the name
of charity.
Braydin and Torin began selling golf balls from their backyard at Dover Air Force Base in the summer of 2009. Their father, an Air Force Colonel, was able to help them get permission from Eagle Creek Golf Course to set up a stand at their house and sell balls to golfers near the 16th tee. What began with a trash can filled with used balls retrieved from ponds and elsewhere on the course, graduated to a large wooden display unit with balls organized by brand and price range – a thriving little business. The boys could have kept the money themselves but instead chose to “donate it to help people who need it more than we do.” Their sister’s struggle with cancer inspired them to contribute to the work of doctors and scientists in hopes of finding a cure.
Karina has acute lymphocytic leukemia and is a frequent visitor to Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. Diagnosed at age 4, Karina is now attending school full time for the first time in her life and is thriving socially and academically. Karina has met many of the golfers who purchase golf balls in her backyard and is extremely grateful to and proud of her brothers, as well as those who’ve supported their project.
After their donation of $1500 to NCCCR was publicized last year, the boys received many donations of golf balls and soon had to construct another display unit. Sales were brisk, allowing them to more than double their 2009 receipts.
Ayyappan Rajasekaran, PhD, Director of NCCCR and Andy Kolb, MD, Director of Nemours Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant program, were on hand to receive the donation, thank the Sones family for their generosity, and provide them with a tour of the research facility.
Braydin and Torin will continue to collect balls through the winter, cleaning and sorting them in preparation for the spring. The brothers hope to inspire other children who live near a golf course to think about following their lead of selling golf balls to raise money for a good cause, especially childhood cancer research.