Syosset residents Janet and Terry Ullrich lost their 14-year-old son Jon five years ago after he lost his battle with a heart defect. Jon's family and friends started the Friends of Jon, a charitable trust established to provide assistance to non-profit organizations that provide services for mentally and/or physically challenged children and adults in loving memory of Jon Ullrich.

During the course of his life, Jon received the very best cardiac care available both at St. Francis Hospital in New York and at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The five surgical procedures that he did receive during the course of his life gave him time and a quality of life that he would otherwise not have enjoyed. "We cannot imagine what it must be like for a family to not have the privilege of trying to save their child," said Janet and Terry.

In an attempt to ease their heartache and the void that Jon's death created, a neighbor suggested that the Ullrich family hold a golf event in Jon's memory. The idea took root in the family and to date they have held four such events. The proceeds of the event have been given each year to a school or organization that helps enrich the lives of children and adults with physical and or developmental disabilities. "We are proud of what has been accomplished with the help of this event over the years," said Janet and Terry.

The first year's beneficiary was the Association for the Help of Retarded Children's Camp Loyaltown in Hunter, New York, where Jon attended the Saturday program. Hundreds of children and adults with developmental disabilities have the benefit of a modern, well-equipped infirmary at this camp thanks to the Friends of Jon.

Over 300 children with physical disabilities are laughing and playing each day on a beautiful, handicapped accessible playground at Carman Road School in Massapequa, the beneficiary of the Friends of Jon the second year, which Jon attended up until he passed away.

Three hundred children with cerebral palsy now have a bright, happy, very special art and music center at United Cerebral Palsy's Children's Learning Center in Roosevelt thanks to the annual golf outing.

There are new classrooms where young children with learning, language and behavior disabilities and autism are learning and training space where teachers are being taught the most innovative ways to teach them at Variety Child Learning Center in Syosset thanks to the generosity of the Friends of Jon fund.

"We have thought long and hard about what we could do this year that would be just as special as the projects on the list and believe we came up with the most wonderful project of all - life," said Janet. "All of our efforts to date have been to celebrate a life that was very special to us. Our experience has made us realize how extraordinary and precious life is. Our Jon received the gift of life from God and then again and again at the hands of many extraordinary medical professionals and facilities we were so blessed to have available to us here in the United States."

When Janet, Terry and their two sons James, 25, and Michael, 23, learned about the Gift of Life Program sponsored by Rotary International District 7250 and its mission of hope and healing for children with serious cardiac problems from all over the world, they knew they had found the perfect project. "We hope that our efforts this year will enable us to help many children," said Janet.

The Ullrich family has a strong support system in their friends and extended family. "I have a big family and everyone has been involved in helping make it happen in some capacity," said Janet. "Everyone pitches in. It has been nice for my family. It has brought us closer together and has been a real rallying event. Jon was quite an amazing little boy. He faced many challenges, but he always had a smile on his face and looked forward to the day.

This year's golf outing will take place on September 30 at the Colonial Springs Golf Course in East Farmingdale. Please send all donations to Friends of Jon, 18 Hickman Street, Syosset, NY 11791 or call 922-2714 for more information and further details regarding the golf outing.