April 2018

COMMUNITY
There are no limits
in this GOLF CLASSIC
by Jason Stromberg
There are no limits on Jason Schepp’s
game and his love for Parkland Buddy
Sports. The first-class program is what
inspires him.
As soon as he wakes up at this time
of the year, Schepp can’t wait to step
on the basketball court on “Sunday
Fundays,” as he calls them, to join his
fellow buddies at Terramar Park. “I like
playing basketball the best. That’s my
favorite sport,” Schepp said. “I love
having fun and seeing everybody.”
Jonathan Schepp, Jason’s dad, feels
the same way about the Parkland Buddy
Sports’ sixth annual “No Limits” Golf
Classic Fundraiser, which will take place
on May 19 at the Carolina Club, 3011
Rock Island Road in Margate.
“I’m glad to be a part of it. It’s
phenomenal,” said Jonathan, who has
been playing since the classic’s inception.
“The main purpose of the golf classic
is to raise substantial dollars for the
organization. I can’t thank the coaches,
the sponsors, and the buddies enough
for what they do for the kids.”
Kids like Jason don’t have to pay to play
in Parkland Buddy Sports. Proceeds from
the golf tournament will be used to offset
expenses to provide “Fee Free” sports
for children and young
adults with special
needs.
A non-profit organization, Parkland
Buddy Sports gives these special needs
participants an empowering, challenging,
and loving environment where the
emphasis is on having fun, making
friends, and realizing your potential.
“It’s special for us that a lot of our
parents and friends give back to the
program,” Parkland Buddy
Sports President Andy Zaukas
said. “Everybody asks ‘What
can we do?’ We say, ‘come out
to support the golf tournament
because that’s what’s important
to us’.”
Linda Brown, the golf
tournament’s director, agreed.
“Everyone that works with
us, or that is on the Parkland
Buddy Sports Board and Golf
Committee, is awesome,”
Brown said. “There’s a special
place in my heart for everyone
involved. We get the job done out of the
goodness of our hearts.”
Nobody’s smile is wider than Schepps’
though. Zaukas puts it right up there with
all the other player and buddy smiles.
“The best part is the smiles. Seeing our
kids have fun, while giving the parents
an opportunity to take a breath, while
we play sports with their kids,” Zaukas
said. “We are all volunteers in this. It’s
like doing a mitzvah. Our buddies are
volunteers, who start out doing it for
service hours, but they end up doing it for
the love of it. The relationships that they
form with their players are lifetime bonds.
It’s everlasting.”
In 2009, Parkland Flag Football Buddies
was named the Sports Illustrated Kids
Flag Football Team of the Year. Zaukas
said his program currently has eight
sports, including basketball, soccer, flag
football, tennis, golf, kickball, running,
and yoga.
“I believe that the buddies almost get out
as much as the players do when teaching
them how to be a better person and
friend,” Jonathan said.
Brown knows what Jonathan is talking
about. She said the buddies and the
players do get the most out of the
program and the golf classic, with eight
scholarships given to the high school
students and one going to a Parkland
Buddy Sports player.
“It melts your heart when you see how
much this event means to everyone,”
Brown said. “Nobody is sitting on the
sideline. This is a great cause. Just a
wonderful thing.”
Registration for the “No Limits” Golf
Classic Fundraiser begins at 7am, with a
shotgun start at 8am and the lunch and
awards ceremony at 12:45pm. For more
information visit parklandbuddysports.com.
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APRIL 2018