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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Local golf club gifts $52k to nonprofits
Santa Rosa, CA — Santa Rosa Golf & County Club (SRGCC) surprised two local health organizations with unexpected Christmas gifts to support their work in cancer prevention and detection. The North Bay Cancer Alliance and Southwest Community Health Center each received $26,000 from SRGCC's annual fundraising event in November 2005. SRGCC has hosted this event for three consecutive years and donated the proceeds to nonprofit organizations associated with cancer screening, research, and treatment. The funds raised in this year's event more than tripled from the previous two years. "I'm proud of the unsolicited contributions to cancer research and local charities that our club has made over the past few years. I'm confident that the Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club will continue to demonstrate its desire to be more than just a country club. We are a contributing part of this generous community," said Jim Galaudet, president of the Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club. The North Bay Cancer Alliance (NBCA), which was established in 2004, is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization established to increase local access to clinical cancer research; patient, community and provider education; and care for under- and uninsured cancer patients. This is the second year that proceeds from the Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club fundraiser have been shared with the NBCA. "The North Bay Cancer Alliance is very pleased - and very proud - to be one of the recipients of the generosity of the members of the Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club for a second year in a row," says Diane Huntley, Director of Development. "This year's donation will, along with others gifts to the NBCA, help create a Cancer Resource Center near downtown Santa Rosa that will include educational materials and access to web-based clinical research." About the North Bay Cancer Alliance In addition to creating a Cancer Resource Center for patients and their families, the North Bay Cancer Alliance also works directly with the National Cancer Institute and local healthcare providers to offer North Bay cancer patients access to clinical cancer drug trials whose treatment protocols are only available under FDA-approved guidelines. These clinical trials make experimental treatment available to patients in the North Bay region that are generally available only in large metropolitan areas. The NBCA also helps provide financial assistance to support some or all of the care of under- and uninsured cancer patients and offers education programs for medical and healthcare professionals in the areas of cancer prevention and treatment. About Southwest Community Health Center Southwest Community Health Center is a federally-qualified community health clinic (FQHC) - as well as a 501(c)3 nonprofit - providing primary care and specialty services to uninsured patients in the greater Santa Rosa area, including free mammograms and cancer screening for those unable to afford such services. During the past year, SCHC and Redwood Regional Medical Group have collaborated to bring low-cost diagnostic services to uninsured patients, made possible by a gift from the Kaiser Permanente Women's Health Task Force. The golf club selected SCHC to receive funds at the recommendation of Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa, in recognition of cancer screening needed for growing numbers of uninsured people in the community. "SCHC will use the Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club's donation to increase diagnostic testing, cancer screening, and treatment for our patients who have no funding," says Naomi Fuchs, CEO. "As part this community's health care safety net, SCHC must emphasize cancer prevention and early detection. This gift will enable many more uninsured patients to obtain critical diagnostic tests such as ultrasounds, MRIs, CT scans, and mammograms." Established in 1996, SCHC is now the medical home to more than 11,000 people in Santa Rosa. SCHC's scope of services includes primary care, family medicine, family planning and obstetrics, specialty care, mental health care, health education, and advocacy. The majority of SCHC patients are uninsured and live below the federal poverty level. SCHC receives funding through Medi-Cal reimbursements, public/private grants, and private donations. However, the rapid growth of uninsured people living in our community has resulted in SCHC providing more than $900,000 in uncompensated health care services in the past year. About Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club Santa Rosa Golf and County Club (SRGCC) is a private golf club located in west Santa Rosa featuring a championship golf course, swimming, tennis, and banquet facilities. ### For more information, contact:
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