BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — JJ's Legacy is preparing for its annual golf tournament and gala at Stockdale Country Club to raise awareness for organ donation in Kern County.
While the golf tournament is completely sold out with a waiting list of four teams for next year, tickets are still available for the gala on April 23.
"Our community is so supportive, Mike, that it keeps it fun," Executive Director Lori Malkin said.
The gala will feature a live auction and honor organ donors and recipients. This includes an 11-year-old girl traveling from Arizona who received a heart transplant when she was 1 year old, and the family of her 2-year-old donor.
"It's really great because the mother of the donor family and the little girl that received the heart, um, they just connected immediately, and it's really great to see those connections through the organ donations," Malkin said.
The event will also honor a Bakersfield woman who received a kidney and is currently waiting for a pancreas. I will be serving as the master of ceremonies for the gala.
"When a donor family loses somebody, it gives them something to hold on to because they have a grief in a very different way, you know, but they have that love that their child had the gift of life and saved him," Malkin said.
The sold-out golf tournament features new vendors, food on every other course, music, games, and a million-dollar shot.
Over the past 16 years, JJ's Legacy has helped increase organ donor registration in Kern County by 20 to 25%. The organization also focuses on youth awareness, with 36 students in its program and 500 students participating in a recent walkathon.
People can register and buy tickets for the gala by visiting jjslegacy.org.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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