One day golf outing raises $1.5M for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Everett LaBrash is a Children’s Miracle Child.
The son of Alex and Marianne LaBrash of Sterling Heights, he is now a year old who is continuing to reach milestones and exemplifies the healthy outcomes that are made possible through the support of the annual Feldman Automotive Children’s Miracle Celebrity Invitational presented by Corewell Health Foundation of Southeast Michigan and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation.
This year’s golf outing raised $1.5 million.
All of the money garnered through sponsorship support, on site-donations and a live auction, which included an electric guitar signed by Taylor Swift, benefit Children’s Miracle Network programming at Corewell Health Children’s and patients like Everett.
Everett came early at 24 weeks.
Being a preemie, he faced a plethora of challenges, especially lung development, which required a C-pap at birth, and a ventilator after developing pneumothorax, to regulate his oxygen and help with breathing.
During his stay at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital a team of health care professionals at Corewell Health Children’s Child Life Services provided Everett and his parents with care and compassion. Panda Warmers, Giraffe Omni Beds, and fold-out furniture for long stays were just some of the benefits that they received with the help of donations made to Corewell Health Children’s through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
“Our team at Troy, honestly, they were life-changing,” Marianne LaBrash said in a video released by the hospital. “They helped us through… so much. I definitely have a couple of lifelong friends with them.”
Alex concurred.
“Everyone’s easy going,” he said. “They’d lend an ear if you needed to vent to them. Thank you doesn’t wrap it up enough.”
The Feldman Automotive Children’s Miracle Celebrity Invitational is the largest celebrity golf event in the Detroit area, where every foursome enjoys an up-close and personal celebrity pairing.
This year’s event featured more than 50 national and local celebrities, including actors Donnie Wahlberg (last year it was Mark Wahlberg), Kevin Chapman, Jamie Denton, Marion “Pooch” Hall, Jamie Hector, and Jesse Spencer. From the world of sports, Kenny Anderson, Joique Bell, Lomas Brown, Johnny Damon, Braylon Edwards, Calvin Johnson, Pepper Johnson, Frank Zombo, and dozens of others took part in the day’s activities. It’s one of those events that everyone looks forward to, players and donors alike.
The morning began with Wahlberg accepting a “putting challenge” from three Corewell Health Children’s “Miracle” children selected to represent the more than 200,000 children treated at Corewell Health Children’s each year.
![Alex LaBrash of Sterling Heights plays put-put with his son Everett during the Feldman Automotive Children's Miracle Celebrity Invitational presented by Corewell Health Foundation of Southeast Michigan (CHFSM) and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation held Aug. 26. Photo courtesy of CHFSM](https://www.theoaklandpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/tmd-l-childrensmiracle-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&ssl=1)
“We are delighted with the incredible success of this event”, said Lamong Yoder, a registered nurse and president of Corewell Health in Southeast Michigan. “Our gratitude goes out to the many sponsors and celebrities that are the backbone of this one-of-a kind invitational. Funds raised will be used to help the children in our communities when they need it the most.”
After golf, a spirited live auction and course contests raised about $300,000 from bids on items like Taylor’s guitar donated by Bob and Connie Skandalaris, which went for $31,000, a private tour of Rick Hendrick’s Automotive Heritage Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, hosted and donated by Jay Feldman and Rick Hendrick, a 2025 Formula 1, Monaco package donated by Nino Cutraro; an Italian villa vacation, donated by the Rugiero Family and dinner in the Celani Wine Cellar, donated by Tom and Vicki Celani.
“It was inspiring to see so many people lending their support and contributing to our cause. We are helping so many children and families with the money raised. We are already planning for next year’s event and aiming to raise even more money to continue to provide support for those families in need,” said Jay Feldman, chairman and CEO of the Feldman Automotive Group.
Supporting the fundraising event this year was its title sponsor, the Feldman Automotive Group; lead presenting sponsor Quantum Ventures of Michigan; presenting sponsors Shift Digital and Vesco Oil Corporation; and supporting sponsors including the Celani Family Foundation, CIBC, Corewell Health, The Fourth Tri Sanctuary, Aaron and Carolynn Frankel Family Foundation, Mechanical Services, NativeWahl, and Terra Capital Industries and more than 50 other generous sponsors.
Also praising the generosity shown during the invitational was Ryan Daly, president of the Corewell Health Foundation Southeast Michigan.
“Corewell Health Children’s will receive support to provide life-saving services, vital pediatric equipment, and funds for patient scholarships for families unable to afford needed care,” Daly said, while the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation will utilize its funds to improve the quality of life for youth across the country by providing financial resources and community support to youth services.
Organizers of the event included a dedicated committee of community members — Tom Celani, Nino Cutraro, Jay Feldman, Ken Noonan, Bob Skandalaris, and Sam Yamin.
For more information visit corewellhealth.org/childrens or call 855-480-KIDS (5437). Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada.
All of the donations and money raised is used locally, to help Miracle families in nine counties throughout Southeast Michigan including Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.
For more information visit CMNHospitals.org.