Strokes 4 Hope carries on a mother's legacy

When the Strokes 4 Hope Golf Tournament returns to Lincoln Hills Golf Club on Oct. 3, it won't just be about golf. For founder Obie Scott, it's about keeping alive the legacy of his late wife Debbie, who passed away in January 2012 after a courageous battle with breast cancer. Debbie met Obie at Sierra College, and the two later attended LSU before returning to Sacramento. Obie says she fulfilled her lifelong dream of being a mother to their two daughters before she passed. "All she ever wanted was to be a mom," Obie said. "It's the hardest job there is, and she excelled at it." Debbie was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2008 and fought for four years before passing away at the age of 35. Left with grief but also an overwhelming sense of community support, Obie started Strokes 4 Hope with a $1,000 gift from Debbie's life insurance benefit. The tournament raised $17,000 that first year. Today, it's grown into one of the area's most impactful charity events with more than $825,000 raised over 13 years. This year alone, the tournament is on pace to bring in more than $100,000. Obie says he was inspired to create the tournament as he grieved his wife's passing, noting he wanted to find ways to help families going through similar experiences. "We always got people asking, 'What do you need? How can I help?' and I always thought that the first thing is that we don't need another casserole," said Scott. "I wanted to make it so that in the future, no mom had to say goodbye to their 8-year-old and their 5-year-old." The money raised at the tournament goes directly toward families fighting cancer. Strokes 4 Hope funds 100 wigs annually through the Sutter Roseville wig bank, provides mammograms for women who might otherwise go without, and offers grants to families facing financial hardship. "I gotta help the next generation. I gotta help the next family and I also want to honor Debbie and help cope with a significant loss like that," said Scott. "Because that is significant, losing your partner and the mother of your children." For Obie and his daughters, now in college, the tournament has become an annual tradition and a way to honor Debbie's life while helping others. "We know Debbie's always there with us. She's always watching," said Scott. The tournament field is full, but there are spots on the wait list at whitneyranchcharitablefoundation.com.