The wacky challenge of whacking a golf ball down a fairway with a hockey stick is one of the highlights of an annual hockey-themed charity event that continues to grow.

The Andrew Gulch Memorial Golf Outing that benefits the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) will be Saturday, Aug. 19..

At one hole, participants must try to chip a ball while wearing a hockey helmet with a blacked-out visor. Another hole features chip shots taken with a hockey stick out of a sand trap.

The seventh annual event was established by a local family of hockey fanatics that have been directly affected by myotonic muscular dystrophy. The outing will be at Bedford Hills Golf Club, with registration at 11:30 a.m., golf at 1:30 p.m., and dinner at 6 p.m.

The Gulches, who live in Point Place, also are Toledo Walleye season ticket holders. Jon Gulch, the patriarch and founder of the event, said the hockey-themed aspect is the main reason it has grown.

“The hockey community is so very tight knit,” Gulch said. “We just tried to think of something different with the hockey theme. Each hole has a prize.”

Several Walleye players, including veteran forward Evan Rankin, will play in the event alongside the participants.

“Win or lose, it’s the best 18 holes you will ever play,” Rankin said. “It’s such a unique program. It’s an extreme pleasure to give back, especially when you know the people and the causes. You know how much good it does for people. There’s nothing I’d rather do than help out.”

The first year, 28 participated in the event. Last year, that number rose to 150.

“This year, we are very close to getting all three courses at Bedford Hills. We’ll shut the whole the place down and it will just be us,” Gulch said.

The outing includes 18 holes with a cart, contests with prizes on every hole, a dinner, silent auction, and raffle prizes. Gulch encouraged non-golfers to attend. Items up for bid include an entire set of Walleye-themed bobbleheads, a jersey signed by Ted Lindsay, and another Red Wings sweater autographed by Danny DeKeyser.

Members of the University of Toledo hockey team will manage the holes.

Former Toledo Goaldigger players Ted Tucker and Bill Joyce have been at the event every year. Several Walleye players, including A.J. Jenks, Shane Berschbach, and Kyle Bonis, are tentatively scheduled to appear this year.

For more information, go to gulchmemorial.com.

Devastating diagnosis

The event was established to honor the memory of Andrew Gulch. On Dec. 31, 2001, Andrew was born and struggled to live for 25 days before passing away from unknown causes. Several years later, Andrew’s mother, Jackie, and older brother, Nick, were diagnosed with myotonic muscular dystrophy (MMD).

“The geneticist knew something had caused it, and he thought something was there with Nick because of his body type,” Gulch said. “Nick had some learning difficulties. They said Andrew’s case was much more severe.”

Another family member tested positive, and soon thereafter Jackie and Nick also were diagnosed with MMD.

“After my family was diagnosed, you feel like you can’t do anything,” Jon said. “With this, maybe one of the dollars we raise will help [find a cure].”

He said the event was established with two goals in mind: To raise money to find a cure for muscular dystrophy and to allow Andrew ’s name to be celebrated.

The annual outing generates research funds for the MDA, which works to find cures for local families affected by muscle diseases.

Since 2011, the event has raised more than $80,000 for research into the 43 muscle diseases, including ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The funds have helped send numerous children to the Ohio MDA Summer Camp, and have supported the Toledo MDA Clinic at the Toledo Hospital.

Jon said the funds generated have helped purchase wheelchairs and help cover bills.

“It also raises money for clinical trials,” he said. “Our family has benefited from it. We’ve gone to a few clinical trials.”

Nick plays on a hockey team for those with special needs and is an avid golfer. He will be a senior at Whitmer where he hopes to make the varsity golf team this fall. Nick, 18, also is interested in journalism and has interviewed Walleye players.

“He is incredible. Part of his MD is that as a child it manifested itself as him being autistic,” Gulch said. “He’s just the greatest kid. All the adults he meets say he’s a really neat kid. He does videography and is taking a journalism course this year.”

A family affair

Jon  said the Walleye players have helped lift the event to another level, especially Rankin.

“Evan has kind of adopted my son as his brother,” Jon said. “He golfs with him in the summer and helps him at camps.”

Rankin said the Gulch family has become a big part of his life.

“Nick is truly family,” Rankin said. “He is a special person. He’s done so much with who he is and to be able to do anything for him, means a lot.”

Rankin said he is not surprised that the event has taken off.

“It’s because of who they are as people,” Rankin said. “They are an amazing group of people. That’s why it has doubled every single year. I have it marked on my calender. It means so much to us.”

Rankin also is spearheading an effort to establish an annual hockey camp and clinic for children with special needs.

“Charity work has become a huge part of my life,” Rankin said.

Rankin, 31, has played five seasons for the Walleye and eight overall. The forward has contemplated retirement in recent years but he said he is leaning toward coming back this season.

“It’s an honor to wear the Walleye jersey and play for Toledo,” he said. “Anyone would be lucky to play for the Walleye.”

Playing pro hockey was one of Jon’s aspirations growing up in Point Place. He attended Woodward High School, and the family went to Goaldiggers and Storm games as well as Detroit Red Wings games. He was in attendance when the Storm won the Riley Cup in 1993.

“My brother and I grew up skating out on the river. My dad coached us,” Jon said. “I played one year with [former NHL player] Bryan Smolinski. I remember playing at the Sports Arena back in 1977.”

Jon, a three-sport standout in football, hockey, and baseball, played travel hockey in the Detroit area. His senior year, he tied the Michigan state single-season goal-scoring record.

Jon went on to play two years of football at Ohio Northern University before trying to walk on to the hockey team at Bowling Green State University. 

He said he always dreamed of passing along his love of sports to his children.

“Seeing Andrew’s name live on through this golf outing does the heart good,” he said.

Contact Mark Monroe at mmonroe@theblade.com, 419-724-6354 or on Twitter @MonroeBlade.

First Published August 7, 2017, 4:56 a.m.