The 2004 Michael Ross Memorial Foundation (MRMF) Golf Tournament recently raised over $105,000 to help benefit the Baycliff Health Camp in Big Bay, Michigan. The Baycliff Health Camp serves to severely handicapped children with a six-week summer camp. The camp facilities include areas for physical therapy, dental work and areas for doctors to cater to the needs of the children while under the care of Baycliff. The camp funding is raised to help remove the financial burdens from the children’s families so that the visit is completely covered,including new wheel chairs, crutches or other medical equipment the children may need. The children participate in camp activities and are taught learning strategies during their stay at Baycliff.

The MRMF was founded in honor of Michael Ross, the son of Tony and Kathy Ross from American Compressed Steel, Inc. Tony and Kathy are long-time supporters of Danny Lasoski’s racing career, but more importantly very close friends. When asked about the inception of the foundation Ross said, “In 1990 Mike passed away from a very rare genetic disorder known as Tay-Sachs disease. We started a foundation at his passing, but it was a private, family thing that Kathy and I decided to do with the college fund we had set up for Mike. We wanted to make a small difference in somebody’s life. I had been involved with Baycliff Camp when I lived up in Michigan, and it just seemed natural to be involved with it after Mike passed. Danny Lasoski and I are very close friends and he kept telling me for three or four years that we were going to have a golf tournament in Mike’s memory. I kept saying no, because it was a private thing. Finally, he called me up one day and said, “Buddy, we have a golf tournament coming up. We have all the players because I already signed up all the drivers. You better find us a place to play and find us some more players because you only have six weeks to put it together.” Which was typical Danny. We ended up slapping something together with the help of Danny, Steve Kinser and others we managed to raise $10,000. We were surprised to raise that kind of money in such a short time,” explained Ross. Each year the tournament has raised more and more money. “Last year we really raised the bar when we raised over $160,000. We knew that was going to be tough to match