DIABETES FOUNDATION TEES OFF WITH COACH CROOM IN BENEFIT TOURNAMENT

Leading the Mississippi State University Bulldogs to a successful season and bowl game appearance.

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Inspiring legions of Mississippians to take charge of their diabetes and live healthy, active lifestyles.

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Throughout his five-year tenure at Mississippi State, Head Football Coach Sylvester Croom has accomplished many things. And in spite of a schedule spotted with radio interviews and tournament appearances around the state and country, Croom remains dedicated to bringing the public’s attention to the seriousness of diabetes through his involvement with the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi.

And that is exactly what he plans to do again at the eighth-annual Bulldog Scramble Golf Tournament at the Dancing Rabbit Golf Course in Philadelphia on Monday, May 12.

“Diabetes has a huge effect on a large part of the population,” Croom said. “We all know someone with diabetes. Maybe one day this could be another disease that we could defeat.”

But until then, through tournaments like the Bulldog Scramble, “We are helping to make people’s lives better,” he said.

Croom said that his decision to become part of the tournament efforts in raising diabetes awareness was formed in part because of personal experiences. He said that growing up in the African-American community where the prevalence of diabetes is greater shaped his decision to join the Diabetes Foundation’s mission of providing diabetes care to the hundreds of thousands of Mississippians living with the disease.

“I understand the burden that diabetes places on a lot of individuals,” he said.

For this reason, it was important to him to be a part of a group that actively provides care for all of the Mississippians with diabetes.

“This tournament is going to be both a lot of fun as well as an amazing opportunity to meet and greet Coach Croom after a great year of football,” said Regional Manager Meg Frazier. “More importantly though, every dollar raised by this tournament will help make the lives of thousands of Mississippians living with diabetes easier by providing them with life-saving medical supplies.”

Named as one of the Top 75 Golf Resorts in America by Golf Digest, the Dancing Rabbit Golf Course offers plenty of challenges for even the most experienced golfers. Sponsored by the Diabetes Foundation, Novo Nordisk and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the four-man scramble tournament will include door prizes, and team prizes will be awarded to low-net categories. Individual prizes will also be awarded for longest drive, longest putt and closest to the pin, on specified holes.

The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi is the state’s only nonprofit health organization that provides diabetes research, information, patient services and advocacy, and its mission is to provide hope through research, programs and service to the 346,500 Mississippians with diabetes. Every dollar raised by the Foundation stays in the state to support these efforts. In addition, 92 cents of every dollar raised goes towards the organization’s charitable purposes. The Diabetes Foundation is the one diabetes organization totally dedicated to all Mississippians– from children to seniors– who live with diabetes.

“That’s why my name is associated with this,” Croom said.

Registration begins at 11 a.m., with a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Take a swing at diabetes by calling 1-877-DFM-CURE or by registering online at www.msdiabetes.org.