Golf fundraiser planned

Before Ryan Gardina was killed in 2004, he was working as a patient care assistant in the intensive care unit of Lancaster General Hospital. Prior to that, he was a medic in the U.S. Navy. After Ryan died, his friend Amanda Yost approached his mother, Susan, about starting a scholarship in his memory. "You have to do positive things to get through things like (losing a son)," Susan said.

Ryan had been attending HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, in hopes of later matriculating at Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences. An annual scholarship in his name was first established in 2005 to benefit a nursing student at the school.

"We did a lot of fundraisers at first," said Susan, who, with Ryan's father, Jim, recalled the donations received from family and friends and the sub sales that were held. Three years ago, a golf tournament was started to raise money for the scholarship. The 2023 Ryan Gardina Memorial Golf Fundraiser will be held on Friday, May 19, at Four Seasons Golf Club, 949 Church St., Landisville, with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Prize holes will include the longest drive and closest to the pin, and mulligans will be available for purchase.

In addition to prizes and giveaways, a silent auction featuring donations from local businesses will be held. Among the items going up for bids is an overnight stay at Great Wolf Lodge with a tour of ShawneeCraft Brewing Company. Other items are a day of golf and hundreds of dollars in gift cards. Susan mentioned gift cards to the Lititz Springs Inn, Bulls Head Public House, and Barnstormers events among the items. Sponsors include Mainspring of Ephrata and The Risser Group.

Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences chooses the scholarship winner, but Jim noted the applicants are asked to write an essay about what compassion means to them. "We requested that since Ryan was compassionate," Jim explained.

Early on, family members would read the essays and choose the top three. "You could feel Ryan in the essays we picked," said Susan.

The golf tournament roster usually fills up quickly. Readers who want to take part in the tournament should register by emailing jimgardina@gmail.com by Monday, May 1. More information may be found at http://www.ryangardinamemorial.com.