Dr. Kevin Armstrong built a life around his passion for community service and his love of sports.
A graduate of Princeton University and UCLA Medical School, he was a clinical professor and orthopedic surgeon at UCI Medical Center who returned to his Santa Ana roots to be a volunteer physician for varsity football teams. Even as he made People magazine’s list of the 50 most eligible bachelors, he dreamed of one day starting a foundation to help Santa Ana students who wanted to play sports but lacked the means to do so.
Tragically, Dr. Armstrong died before that dream could become a reality, succumbing to a rare heart condition in 2005 at age 39.
Yet his legacy and commitment to the community live on through the Kevin Armstrong, M.D. Memorial Sports Foundation, which is hosting its 10th annual golf tournament on Monday, April 2. Players are wanted for the event, which will be held at the Tustin Ranch Golf Club.
“Having lost his father at an early age and growing up in a single parent home with limited resources, (Dr. Armstrong) experienced very early on in life the importance of sports and the mentorship, support and guidance that coaches and teammates can provide,” says Karen Armstrong, Kevin’s sister. “It was his dream to make sure that all students could experience the same, regardless of their means.”
Since its inception in 2005, the Armstrong Foundation has helped more than 12,000 students participate in intramural sports tournaments. It has also matched physician volunteers with varsity football teams, hosted free echocardiograms and EKGs for young athletes, purchased defibrillators for Santa Ana high schools and launched RunStrong running clubs to train and equip middle schoolers.
Proceeds from the foundation’s 10th Annual Golf Tournament will help continue this important work. Along with the chance to hit the links with friends, registered guests will be treated to a raffle, dinner, a helicopter ball-drop and prizes courtesy of Crevier BMW and other sponsors.
The cost to attend as a golfer is $200 — foursomes can register for $700 if they sign up by March 16th — and there are a number of additional sponsorship opportunities.
For more information, or to register, visit http://www.armstrongmdfoundation.org/golf.htm.