Sitting at the Sports Park enjoying the fireworks this weekend, the collective oohs and aahs around me, gave the warm feeling of community. What a week for hometown heroes! Along with Lindsay Davenport taking Wimbledon, here are some others.

This Saturday, July 10, valley heroes will gather at the first annual benefit Golf Expo to raise money for Carlynn Field. Carlynn is a 13-year-old Wildomar resident suffering from osteo-sarcoma, a rare, aggressive form of bone cancer.

Diann Patterman is hosting the expo at her business, the Diamond Drive Golf Center at 1800 E. Lakeshore Drive in Lake Elsinore. "I am absolutely blown away by the response of the business owners around here, big and little," Patterman said. "The Fields are a well-known family and must be very, very loved by the community," Patterman continued, "I’ve done this before and I’ve never seen anything like this, people are contacting me to donate!"

The Golf Expo begins at 9:00 a.m. and folks can line up along with instructors to hit buckets of balls where half the proceeds go to Carlynn. All of Patterman’s golf suppliers have donated items to a raffle and will have product demos going on. The day will kick off with Skydive Elsinore filling the air with divers and the National Anthem sung by Canyon Lake resident, Tara Miller. Tim Cummings from Hogan’s Music will keep the music going and a BBQ will feed you when you’re hungry.

"We are selling raffle tickets now," Patterman said. Businesses have pitched in with services, cash donations, and raffle prizes. "A. J. Bicycle Shop is donating a brand new BMX bicycle. That’s a lot for them. They are just a small business," Patterman noted. "Lake Chevrolet has just been wonderful too. They have run seven ads for us."

Carlynn is in the hospital 95% of the time with complications from surgery. Her family is strung from Loma Linda to home, trying to keep it all together. "I know there are a billion other little cases out there, but right now this is the only one I’ve got," Patterman said. "I would love to hand this family $20,000."

Speaking of handing out gifts, Darren Blakely of the Lake Elsinore Storm recently did just that for the children at the North Shore Apartments in Lake Elsinore. Blakely, a California league all-star and highly regarded prospect for the Storm purchased two jungle gyms for placement in the yard. According to Nyla Henry, apartment manager, Blakely spends his off-time playing with the kids in the complex. "He’s very sweet," Henry said, "none of us talk to him about the game. Half the people didn’t even know he was a baseball player." Henry said the play equipment has really brightened up the grays and blues of the older surroundings. "The kids have loved it," Henry continued, "They’ve been out there non-stop. We want to say thank you to him."