Don Strock Diabetes Golf Classic

Many Miami Dolphins and NFL alum hit the green recently for the 35th Annual Don Strock Diabetes Golf Classic, one of the longest running celebrity/amateur charity golf tournaments in the South Florida community.

Gridiron greats like Dan Marino, Nat Moore and Larry Little among others participated in this year’s tourney, hosted by former Miami Dolphins quarterback Don Strock and chaired by philanthropist Bruce Fishbein, which raised nearly $120,000 for the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) and its mission to find a biological cure for diabetes.

The continued support of NFL alumni and the South Florida produce and shipping industries make the annual tournament, held at the Miccosukee Golf and Country Club in Miami, a great success. To date, the Don Strock Diabetes Golf Classic has raised more than $3 million for the DRI.

On May 9, golfers brought their A-game onto the course, enjoyed a cocktail hour and successful live and silent auctions to benefit the DRI. Extra excitement filled the air as history was made when long-time DRI supporter and event committee member Doug Tannehill of Global Perishable Services (GPS) LLP got a spectacular hole in one to win a new SUV from Warren Henry Auto Group.

Tannehill’s fellow committee members are Brian Cullen, Mary Beth Fishbein, Chris Fries, Adam Homan, Bruce Schumin, Oscar Sotolongo, and Joe Vega.

The Committee extends much gratitude to Golf Sponsor Lennar Foundation and other sponsors including many in the South Florida produce business and shipping industries including GPS Global Perishable Services, LLP; King Ocean Services; Premier Produce; Aloha Freightways; Sotolongo Farms; M & R Produce Distributors; Mr. Greens Produce; Sierra Produce; Quality First Produce; Indianapolis Colts; Miami Heat; Tropical Shipping; Pine Island Tomato Farms; Crystal Valley Foods; Next-Port, Inc.; HapCor; Tonkinson Financial; Warren Henry Auto Group; Mutual of America; Friedel & Bolski; Gordon & Doner; Pollo Tropical; Boar’s Head; Legal-eze; Minuteman Press; Cambridge Farms; Stefanelli Enterprises, Inc.; Vega Produce; William R. Nash; Growers Express; Schneider Global Trading; and Trans Management of New Jersey.

The tourney’s featured speaker was DRI islet transplant recipient Jill Eastman who shared her personal story of living free from worry and feeling better.

Strock, along with many others in the room, was greatly inspired by Eastman’s words and looks to the future.

“If you saw Jill today, you know it is working and what it has done for her,” Strock said. “A lot of people in the room have someone in their family who has diabetes. That connection is what makes me continue to come back year after year. I look forward to next year for the 36th. I think it will continue to get bigger and better.”