Aces 4 Aiden
After months of anticipation, hundreds of golfers are expected to take part of the 13th annual Aces Fore Aiden Golf Scramble at Veterans Memorial Golf Course in Cameron over the weekend.
The tournament kicked off last Friday after numerous delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event raises money for the Aiden McVicker Charitable Fund and hosted with more than 70 teams participating in the two-day tournament.
“It’s gorgeous today. We were a little scared with the cloud cover. We thought it was going to rain but now it’s just beautiful. God works in mysterious ways,” said Jamey McVicker, who organizes the tournament each year along with his wife Amy. “When we postponed it from May 1 and 2, the state of Missouri had shutdown. They opened up May 3 because we were changing dates and people would be on vacation and had other plans and other commitments. We have the same, or more, teams than we did in May plus the recent rains have the course looking beautiful.”
With supporters throughout the region, money raised for the Aiden McVicker Charitable Fund typically goes to projects benefiting area special needs children. Recent examples include assisting a family in Poplar Bluff, assisting funding of playground equipment in St. Joseph and recent improvements to playground equipment in Cameron. McVicker said the AMCF donated more than $100,000 to funding special needs projects.
“We’re humbled every year by all of the support we get. Thirteen years is a long time. Aiden is 19, believe it or not,” Amy McVicker said. “[Addy McVicker] was a baby when we did this the first year. It’s amazing to us to have the support we have. Jamey and I have learned a lot through the years - about ourselves and about life. One thing we learned is we can’t get through a day without all of you and knowing that you’re there for us helps us get through the hard times.”
The tournament gets its namesake from Aiden McVicker, who doctors diagnosed with bilateral anophthalmia at birth after he was born with no eyes and later diagnosed him with neuromuscular scoliosis and resulting in more than a dozen operations. McVicker said the public support is what keeps them coming back year after year, even when events like the COVID-19 pandemic give them an easy excuse to take a year off.
“His seizures go up and down but they seem to level off pretty good right now. He’s doing really well. He did have a rough patch earlier in the year,” McVicker said. “… Jamey and I talk to each other about how we’re going to get through it and move past it. At some point, we realized this could be the beginning of the end. We do this because we have each other and know we have the support from all of you. You helping us help other people through Aiden is amazing.”
For more information on how to support the Aiden McVicker Charitable Fund, visit them online at www. aidenmcvicker.com.
