Neighbors golf together for fun and charity

The winning team celebrates following the "glow in the dark" golf outing. Back row, from left: Tim Martin, Chris Hyland and Pete Siavelis. Front row, from left: Cori Mazukelli and Tonia Santangelo

Some neighborhoods hold block parties in the summer, but one local group does that, and more.

The families living on South Roosevelt Avenue in Arlington Heights continued their tradition of holding their fourth annual "glow in the dark golf outing" as a way to come together for a special evening each summer.

The novel event succeeds on two levels, they say. It makes for an entertaining evening outdoors, and it lends itself to a fundraising activity that draws the neighbors together.

They gathered Sept. 22 -- all 45 of them -- at Nickol Knoll Golf Club in Arlington Heights. The 56-acre, par 3 course, offered just the right challenge and accessibility for various levels of golfers.

This year they dedicated the event to raising money for CURE Childhood Cancer, in honor of two neighborhood youngsters battling the disease. CURE Childhood Cancer is based in Atlanta, Ga., and is focused solely on supporting childhood cancer experts nationally.

But while their first year they netted $270 for the American Cancer Society, this year they wound up raising $3,000.

They were able to raise the money, they say, with support from local merchants who donated prizes for their raffle baskets. They also obtained donated food from Tuscan Market in Arlington Heights and rounds of golf from Nickol Knoll.

As the neighborhood's ability to raise money has grown, so has its intent. Two years ago, they incorporated and became an official nonprofit organization, called "Something More, NFP."

"In addition to all of us having children around the same age, we also consider ourselves extremely fortunate, and we want to give back," said Gretchen Benne of Arlington Heights. "We want to do something more."

Women of the neighborhood will meet in February to begin planning their next outing and its dedicated cause.

"We plan on continuing this as an annual event, as well as growing it to raise more money for more causes," Benne said. "We always select a charity that has touched our lives, and just feel that there is no limit to what can be done."