Bay Area Cancer Survivor Becomes A Master Fundraiser
SUNNYVALE (KCBS) – The charity golf tournament has long been a fixture as a fundraising tool for major corporations around the country. But a Bay Area man has taken it to a whole new level.
Danville resident Bob Hammer never set out to be a master fundraiser. He's a two-time testicular cancer survivor who paid his way into a Lance Armstrong charity ride in Austin, Texas 10 years ago.
KCBS' Stan Bunger Reports:
During his second bout with cancer, he was able to meet with Armstrong and his oncologist, Dr. Craig Nichols, in Texas. Nichols advised him to forgo surgery that would have left him unable to father a child.
He survived, had a son and in an effort to give back, decided to start a charity golf event.
"If you would have told me 10 years ago that we would be hitting a million dollars raised in seven years, I'd tell you you'd be crazy," Hammer said.
This year's "Have a Ball" golf event, which will be held on Friday, July 22 at the Sunnyvale Municipal Golf Course, will push him past that million dollar fundraising mark.
Hammer has convinced corporate sponsors like Amgen to contribute every year. Now, he's being asked about his formula for fundraising from people across the country.
"My goal in all this when I started was I wanted one single guy who showed up to want to bring a foursome to the event next year," he said. "That's pretty much what happened and it's gone nuts."
The tournament has gotten so big that Hammer is holding another event in September.
For more on Hammer's tournament, go to www.haveaballgolf.com.
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