Hoppes to benefit from Swing Fore Charity

Competition will once again take a backseat to compassion on Tuesday, June 20.

Swing Fore Charity is back after a three-year hiatus, and this year the recipient family is one of Carrington's own – Chuck and LeaAnn Hoppe.

Swing Fore Charity is a benefit golf event started in 2006 when farm equipment representatives and implement dealers joined forces. Now in its 15th year, the event has found a home right here in the Central City, at CrossRoads Golf Club.

All proceeds from the 2023 Swing Fore Charity event will go to Chuck and LeaAnn Hoppe. Chuck has worked at Leading Edge Equipment of Carrington in various roles for 30 years, most recently as Service Manager. Chuck's wife LeaAnn was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, a fast-growing cancer in her brain, in May 2022. She underwent brain surgery and then started chemotherapy and radiation in June.

In August LeaAnn suffered another setback, as she had a massive seizure enroute to a Fargo hospital. She was treated at Jamestown Regional Medical Center and started on anti-seizure medication, which she now must take for the rest of her life. After she was stabilized, LeaAnn resumed chemotherapy treatments for six months.

Chuck and LeaAnn have been married for 27 years and have two grown children, Ryan and Britni. They also have three grandchildren – Wyatt, Oaklee and Blaire.

Living with this diagnosis has been extremely hard to accept, as LeaAnn's doctor explained that there is nothing she could have done differently to prevent this. Nonetheless, she is in good spirits most days, especially when she gets to be with her cherished grandchildren.

All proceeds from the June 20 event, which includes a four-person scramble golf tournament, silent auction, live auction and raffle drawing, will go directly to the Hoppe family.

As of Tuesday, May 30, there were 24 teams registered for the golf tournament.

"There's still room for a few more teams," said Eric Myhre of Unverferth Manufacturing, one of the event's coordinators who was also once a recipient himself.

The cost is $80 per golfer, and includes green fees, golf cart and lunch. Tee time is 10 a.m.

Not a golfer? There are a few other ways you can support the Hoppe family.

First, they have a few raffle tickets left for sale. Up for grabs are a John Deere Gator donated by Leading Edge Equipment, a Bergara B-14 rifle donated by Nelson Equipment and Swing Fore Charity and $300 in cash offered by Degelman Industries. The tickets are $50 each and available from Myhre, Jason McKee of Degelman Industries or Larry Korynta of MacDon.

There will also be a live and silent auction on the day of the event. Area folks who want to support the Hoppe family are welcome and encouraged to either donate an item or come bid at the event.

The Silent Auction opens at 10 a.m. with last bids due right before the live auction begins at approximately 3:30 p.m.

To register a team, purchase a raffle ticket or donate an auction item, call Eric Myhre at (559) 786-5152, Jason McKee at (218) 230-0351 or Larry Korynta at (701) 269-7124.

Organizers expect to have 20 equipment dealer organizations represented, and as of press time there were teams from all over North Dakota registered, in addition to one each from Minnesota and Arizona.

It doesn't matter if you run red, green, blue or none of the above. Mark June 20 on your calendar and come support a local family in need at the Swing Fore Charity event at CrossRoads Golf Club on June 20.