Suburban man, teen strive to help others

Matthew Parker, who heads the retail banking division at Old Second National Bank in Aurora, has raised about $25,000 in the last nine years for Double H Ranch, a camp in the Adirondack Mountains for young people with life-threatening diseases.

That amount includes about $10,000 he's raised with Tim Weaver, a 16-year-old student at Naperville Central High School. The two had tournaments for fans of the Golden Tee gaming machine.

Now, the duo are hosting another fundraiser called Raising Hell for the Ranch starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, at Crosstown Pub & Grill in Naperville. It includes live music, a raffle, silent auction, food and drink specials and prizes.

“When you have a healthy child, this camp certainly brings it all back into perspective for you,” said Parker, who is married and has a stepdaughter.

Parker and Weaver met about five years ago while Weaver, who has a digestive tract disease called Hirschsprung's, attended as a camp participant and Parker was a volunteer counselor. The two formed a strong bond and continued to meet and play the Golden Tee game while back home, and they were often joined by Weaver's parents.

During this time, Parker enjoyed hosting fundraisers where he would have his head shaved in return for donations. Then Weaver wanted to help with the camp fundraising efforts and the two naturally were drawn to Golden Tee tournaments.

Now, the fundraisers have become all-day events that include the tournament, head shaving and a concert. About 25 to 30 tournament players are expected, while the crowd could swell to the hundreds, Parker said.

Their fundraising efforts also follow in the mission of the camp, which is part of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, founded by Charles R. Wood and actor Paul Newman. Parker said he met Newman a while ago and was inspired by his charitable efforts.

As a result, Parker set up the Parker Foundation for Health and Happiness through the Fidelity Charitable Gift Foundation. Money raised for the camp is deposited into this foundation and then distributed to the camp, Parker said.

When Arlington Heights-based Incredible Technologies, maker of the Golden Tee game, heard about the tournaments, Parker and Weaver were honored with the Golden Tee Heroes Award, designated for those players who use the game to help charitable causes.

“We're really proud to have fans like Tim Weaver and Matt Parker, and they are so deserving of this award,” said Gary Colabuono, the company marketing director, in a statement.

Raising Hell for the Ranch

When: 2 p.m. tournament, 4 p.m. head shaving, 6 p.m. live music on Saturday, June 11

Where: CrossTown Pub & Grill, 909 E. Ogden Ave., Naperville

Cost: $40 entry fee for Golden Tee tournament

Info: www.parkerhh.webs.com