Buffs 4 Life Celebrity Golf Weekend On Tap

For a growing group of former Colorado Buffaloes, “shoulder to shoulder” have become more than words in the CU Fight Song. Buffs 4 Life, a charity organization started by four former CU football players, will host its third-annual golf weekend in June. Read about the event inside.

Former Colorado tight end and assistant coach Jon Embree had been considering putting together a foundation to benefit former Colorado players in need several years back. When his former teammate, Anthony “Spoon” Weatherspoon, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2004, Embree, along with fellow former Buffs Lance Carl, Charles Johnson and James Smith, decided to put the idea into action.

“Our plans were to establish something by former CU football players and alumni to help CU athletes and their families in time of need,” said Carl, who lettered at Colorado as a wide receiver in 1986 and ’87. “At the end of our fight song, we always say, ‘shoulder to shoulder we will fight, fight, fight.’ We saw that as a rallying cry for us to come together.”

Spoon was a bruising fullback during the mid-1980s, as head coach Bill McCartney led the CU football program’s turnaround. Married, and the father of three daughters, Spoon lost his battle with leukemia in Nov. 2005. Embree spearheaded an effort to raise funds for Weatherspoon’s family to move from Houston, where he had been receiving treatments, back to California. And Buffs 4 Life was formed.

Last year’s Buffs 4 Life golf weekend benefited Jon Hessler, the former quarterback who suffered brain damage after being the victim of a hit-and-run accident.

This year’s golf weekend, which is set for June 28-30, will benefit the First Lady of Colorado football, Lyndi McCartney. Mrs. McCartney, Coach Mac’s wife, has been suffering from emphysema.

Buffs 4 Life also supports the Denver Safe House, a women’s shelter in Colorado. During Christmastime, Buffs4Life distributes toys and goods to women and their children at the shelter. Buffs4Life, a 501 (c) (3) organization also receives generous support from sponsors, including the Anthony H. Kruse Foundation.

On tap during the golf weekend in June are a private sponsor and player party on June 28 at Earl’s in downtown Denver; a pairings party and silent auction on June 29; and the celebrity golf tournament at the Omni Interlocken in Broomfield, Colo., June 30.

Registration is open to anyone, and deadline is June 15.

High profile former Buffs already signed on to attend include: Eric Bieniemy, Jeremy Bloom, Darian Hagan, Chris Hudson, Bill McCartney, Matt Russell, Rashaan Salaam, Kordell Stewart, Michael Westbrook, and many more.

Carl said the response from former Colorado football players about being involved with Buffs 4 Life has been “overwhelmingly positive.”

For more information on the Buffs 4 Life Foundation, and to learn more about or register for the upcoming golf weekend, visit www.Buffs4Life.com