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Leominster’s Kickstand Golf Tournament raises $3,200 for Hanger Foundation

LEOMINSTER — A $3,200 check was presented to the Hanger Foundation at the Hanger Clinic last Friday, the results of the second annual Kickstand Golf Tournament held in July at Monoosnock Country Club in honor of amputee advocate and longtime city resident Richard “Ace” Armstrong.

“We are excited about that,” Armstrong said of the donation, “and it was very mutual.”

The Hanger Foundation was founded in 2009 with the mission to empower people with physical challenges to live life as fully as possible. Executive Director Rachel Kubicki said they are grateful for the repeat donation to the nonprofit — last year over $3,500 was raised through the golf tournament and donated.

“It is always humbling when a Hanger patient chooses to volunteer their time and rally their friends and family to raise money for the Hanger Foundation,” she said. “This event is inspiring to everyone in the amputee and limb difference community — Ace and his friends truly empower others with their kindness and generosity.”

Armstrong became aware of the foundation as a patient at the Erdman Way clinic following a traumatic injury in 2017 that resulted in the loss of his right leg.

“I saw some of the kids they deal with on a regular basis,” Armstrong said. “They have so much enthusiasm and energy and it really hit me — these kids have their whole lives ahead of them. They get a prosthetic and there is so much they can do.”

Kubicki said the donated funds will support the foundation’s Empowerment Grants, which are given out twice a year to nonprofit organizations across the country “working to empower others and will have a life-changing impact for so many.” Since 2015, the Hanger Foundation has given $1.4 million in grants to various nonprofits that share its mission, including Camp No Limits in Maine.

“We are happy to help support that,” Armstrong said.

When his leg was amputated, Armstrong had to go through eight months of rehab at Hanger and spent six months in a wheelchair. He said it was the staff at Hanger, including Clinic Director Oliver “Max” Nigrosh, who helped him get out of the wheelchair, back up on his feet, and playing golf less than a year after the accident.

“As soon as Max told me to stand up, I knew it wasn’t going to be that bad,” Armstrong said.

He said his good friend Rocco Warren and others surprised him with the golf tournament last year.

“They did a great job,” Armstrong said of the event organizers.

While Armstrong still visits the clinic three or four times a year, he certainly hasn’t let his prosthetic leg define his life or slow him down. He did maintenance work at city hall for 27 years and still helps there with events, golfs four times a week, usually at Grandview Golf Course or Monoosnock, and played in his tournament last year and this year.

“A lot of businesses sent in donations,” he said of the tournament. “We did very well and had a very good turnout.”