Golf tourney to raise money in name of UNLV student killed in crash

By Erin Dostal

Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

To continue spreading the joy Lindsay Bennett had for life and raise money to fight drunk driving, the late teen’s friends and family are planning a charity golf tournament.

Bennett was an 18-year-old UNLV student and Rebel Girl dancer who died after a man accused of drunk driving struck her vehicle on April 15. The other driver had entered the highway going the wrong way at 215 and Windmill Lane and struck Bennett’s car head-on, police said.

The tournament on Sept. 24 at the Revere Golf Club in Henderson will raise money for anti-drunk driving organizations and for programs at UNLV. Registration will begin at 6:30 a.m. with a 7:30 a.m. starting time.

At 12:30 p.m., there will be a luncheon and silent auction, organizers said.

The money raised by the LB3 Foundation during the tournament will go toward Every 15 Minutes, a national organization that travels to high schools to discuss the consequences of drunk driving, and Rebels Against Drunk Driving (RADD), an organization founded in Bennett’s honor at UNLV, said Michael Bennett, Lindsay Bennett’s father.

“Every dollar and cent we’re bringing in we’re putting back into the community,” Michael Bennett said. “It’s turned into kind of a campaign.”

About half of the foursomes for the tournament have already been filled, but there are still opportunities to golf or sponsor the event, Bennett said.

The group is also looking for more items for a silent auction, said Ronni DeFazio, a family friend.

Money will also be given to the architecture and dance programs at UNLV, two programs in which Bennett participated, DeFazio said.

LB3 began last year. For every free throw the Rebels basketball team made, a designated amount from each participant in the program would be donated to the fund.

At the time of her death, Bennett was three days shy of her 19th birthday. She grew up in Henderson and graduated from Coronado High School.

“It was not only her outer beauty, it was her inner beauty,” Bennett’s father said. “She was just a very sincere person...She gave everybody the time and made everybody feel special.”

Bennett said that the Runnin’ Rebels brought in about $50,000 for LB3 last season by hitting more than 231 free throws.

Bennett’s friend Jordan Hutchisson said Lindsay Bennett always said “follow your bliss,” meaning that everyone should realize what they’re grateful for and make the most of what they’re given in life.

DeFazio said Bennett used to update her Facebook status with sayings that were meant to inspire her “bliss” in others. She would write “eating chocolate chip cookies with mom,” or “walking on the beach” — little messages to spread her happiness to her friends, DeFazio said.

“I just want to keep her memory alive, everyone getting together and celebrating her life,” DeFazio said of the golf tournament, which the group hopes will become a yearly event.

“This whole thing is just to spread Lindsay’s message,” Hutchisson said, saying that she hoped LB3 would help prevent other drunk driving accidents. “Lindsay would’ve wanted to do this.”

For more information about how to participate in the golf tournament as a golfer or sponsor, e-mail [email protected]. Donations are also accepted at www.goLB3.com.