New Jersey Golf Net

A brief flicker of life creates a foundation of hope

A golf tournament to support the Sydney Mae Taylor Foundation will be on October 1 at Indian Spring Country Club, 115 South Elmwood Road, Marlton, NJ. Registration will start at 11:00 a.m. with a shot-gun start at 12:30 p.m. A fundraising dinner will follow the tournament that day.

The $125.00 tax-deductible fee for golfers includes tee time and a golf cart on the club's 18-hole golf course, a tournament golf shirt, lunch, the opportunity to compete for prizes, and a buffet dinner. Golfers who register before August 15 can save up to $25.00. Details are available on the foundation's website at www.sydneymaetaylorfoundation.org. Best of all, participants gain the satisfaction of knowing they supported a worthy cause.

The foundation was created by Jay and Erin Taylor of Lumberton, NJ, whose daughter Sydney Mae died a few weeks after birth in 2001 of a congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. The defect leaves the left side of the heart underdeveloped.

“Our grief was especially unbearable,” said Erin, “because Jay and I suffered through three years of infertility treatments before Sydney's birth. She was a very much wanted, eagerly-awaited child. When she died in my arms I felt like a part of me died with her.”

The bereaved parents established a scholarship fund as a positive outlet for their grief and to honor the memory of their baby. With the support and encouragement of family and friends, that project grew to what is now a non profit foundation.

The foundation awarded its first grant in 2003 in the form of a college scholarship to a student with a congenital heart defect. This year, the foundation will provide funding for “heart” kids to attend summer camp and will be providing college scholarships to four young students with congenital heart defects. Other causes the Taylors hope the foundation will be able to fund include helping to fund research for the prevention of congenital heart defects.

For more information, or to register for the tournament, call Jay or Erin Taylor at 609-605-3844, email them at SydneyMaeTaylor@comcast.net, or visit them at www.sydneymaetaylorfoundation.org.