Cancer foundation hosts Kennewick golf tourney

KENNEWICK -- The Fighting Children's Cancer Foundation is hosting its eighth annual Celebrity Golf Tournament on Saturday at Canyon Lakes Golf Course in Kennewick.

The event offers golfers a chance to play alongside high-profile celebrity athletes. But organizers say, in the end, it's all about the money.

"The goal is to raise money," said organizer Alice Didier, mother of the foundation's Celebrities Chairman and U.S. Senate hopeful Clint Didier. "It's been a little tough the last couple of years with the economy."

Clint Didier, a former tight end for the Washington Redskins and co-head coach of Connell High School's football team, was in Washington, D.C., this week but is geared up to attend the tournament with players the likes of former Seattle Seahawk Alonzo Mitts, Richland grad and former NFL safety Mark Kafentzis and Olympic champion skier Phil Mahre.

The event is one of many the FCCF puts on to raise money to fund new research "with the hope of providing kinder, gentler treatments for children" and to "eradicate the cancers that target children."

Two boys, Alberto and Ethan, are poster children for the event and will be in attendance, both survivors of brain cancer.

Alice Didier said that while the afternoon session was full, the morning session had spots available. Each session will run a full compliment of 144 golfers, and the event also will host a prime rib and salmon dinner.

On the web:www.FightingChildrensCancer.org.

This story was originally published June 18, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Cancer foundation hosts Kennewick golf tourney ."