1st Annual Rusty Rudder Golf Tournament Helps Raise $4,000 for Families of SMA

Friends of Brielle and Brooke Kennedy and The Rusty Rudder Work to Raise Awareness about SMA

Skybrook Golf Course in Huntersville, North Carolina, hosted The Rusty Rudder’s 1^st Charity golf tournament for Families of SMA.  It was a beautiful day that hosted over 140 golfers.

Brielle and Brooke Kennedy, who suffer from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type II, stole the hearts of many in the Charlotte, NC region. Both Eric Paul and Brian Johnston, of The Rusty Rudder Management Staff, knew they had to do something to help.  They both met the girls earlier in the year at a casino night fundraiser for the girls, hosted at Hendrick Motorsports, and they wanted to do everything they could to help find a cure to this devastating disease.  Eric and Brian rallied the community and vowed to raise monies and awareness for SMA. A golf tournament seemed the perfect fit and away they went to the drawing board, and on September 13^th, they held their first ever charity golf tournament.

“We knew we had a lot to do in a short period of time, but we’d do anything we could to help these two sweet little angels”, said Eric Paul, Owner of The Rusty Rudder.  The ladies and gentlemen that participated teed off to a shotgun start, captain’s choice format and finished up around 4:00pm.  After golf a reception was held back at The Rusty Rudder with complimentary food, cocktails, friends and family.  “We couldn’t have asked for a better turnout the first time and we can’t wait to start planning again for next year”, said Brian Johnston, General Manager of The Rusty Rudder.  Kristin Balzer’s team won the tournament and bragging rights for next year.  “The Rusty Rudder is a great place to work and my father and his team were thrilled to participate and can’t wait to defend the winning title until next year”, said Kristin Balzer, bartender at The Rusty Rudder.  If you are ever in the Cornelius area of Lake Norman, NC, home to many superstars of NASCAR, please be sure to stop in at The Rusty Rudder and say hi to Eric and Brian!  Also, keep an eye on EBAY auctions under The Rusty Rudder for opportunities to bid on Used Raced NASCAR sheetmetal from Kasey Kahne, Richard Petty, AJ Allmendinger, Carl Edwards and many more.

Altogether, The Rusty Rudder Golf Tournament raised $4,000 for Families of SMA!

- Eric Paul of The Rusty Rudder & Christen Tinsley of HendrickMotorsports and Friends of Brielle and Brooke Kennedy