Highlights – 12th Annual Earl Morrall/NFL Alumni Golf Classic

by Kelly Merritt

David R. Thomas, Scott Relf, Pat & David M. Thomas,
Don Nottingham and Patricia Wacker

It’s hard to find the words to express our gratitude to America’s soldiers, who serve and defend this country. And when they are lost in that process, the strongest among us rise to honor their memory.

Kara Scialdo chose to honor her husband’s memory by founding the Marc Scialdo Scholarship Fund and last month, some of the sports world’s biggest champions came together to support that endeavor and the Trauma Imaging Foundation.

The 12th annual Earl Morrall/NFL Alumni Celebrity Charity Golf Classic was truly an all-star event. More than 25 NFL Hall-of-Famers and Miami Dolphin Perfect Season players participated in celebrity golf pairings, dazzled guests at a cocktail party and silent auction, in partnership with the Hilton Naples Hotel and Hideout Golf Club in Naples. Other contributing sponsors included Shula’s Steakhouse, Meyer Corporation, and First National Bank of the Gulf Coast and many other local businesses, too numerous to list.

Staff Sergeant Marc Scialdo was killed in Afghanistan in March of this year. The scholarship fund that bears his name provides educational grants to children and grandchildren of veterans. Proceeds from the event benefited the fund as well as the Trauma Imaging Foundation’s research and treatment for military veterans and NFL players who have suffered brain and neck injuries.

Matt, Jane and Mitch Morrall

The event chair Earl Morrall, former Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Colts quarterback and Naples resident invited several of his teammates and other players. As a result, some of the most legendary names in sports were involved including Don Shula, Charlie Babb, Bob Griese, Dick Anderson, Larry Little, Mercury Morris, Don Nottingham, Dwight Stephenson, Steve Thurlow and Garo Yepremian as well as professional baseball player Derick Lowe.

Participating former NFL players played with foursomes in the soldout golf tournament with the winning foursome moving on to compete in the Super Bowl of Golf Championships with winners from the other 32 NFL alumni tournaments around the country. For more information or to support this cause, click to www.nflalumnigolf.com/earlmorrall.