Strongsville girl raises money for pediatric cancer research
Natalie Kostalnick’s Hydration Station supports Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Natalie Kostalnick, 11, is raising funds for cancer research via Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. The Sts. Joseph & John School fifth-grader can be found at the Ehrnfelt Recreation Center with her father, Kevin, selling water and Gatorade at Natalie’s Hydration Station Feb. 11 and 25. Photo by TERRY BRLAS
STRONGSVILLE – We should all hope to find our passion in life before time has passed us by. A young Strongsville girl has melded her two loves, golf and helping others, to raise money for cancer research.
Natalie Kostalnick, 11, could be found on a recent Saturday at the Ehrnfelt Recreation Center with her father, Kevin, at Natalie’s Hydration Station selling water and Gatorade for Drive Out Childhood Cancer. Her one-day effort netted $240 to support childhood cancer research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
Natalie played in the Nationwide Children’s Championship Junior Golf Classic on the campus of The Ohio State University, the proceeds of which go toward Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the past two years. She finished second in the girls 9-11 category in 2016 and fourth in 2015. Unfortunately, the tournament has ceased its run and will not be held in 2017.
“I feel really, really bad that kids can’t go out every day and do what they like to do. I like to golf. I want to change that,” she said.
Natalie donated $250 in 2016 by saving monetary gifts from her birthday, Christmas and vacation. She has set an ambitious goal of $1,755 this year. As of the end of January, she is approximately half way to that goal, having raised $775.
“We were thinking of things to do so we thought of a car wash and lemonade stand. You can’t do those kind of things this time of year so we were thinking of selling something like the hydration station,” Natalie said.
Natalie, a fifth-grader at Sts. Joseph & John School, has been attending the Columbus tournament for the past three years. She began golfing at the age of 6.
“The first year we went to the tournament my dad said if I wanted to come back the next year I had to donate,” Natalie said.
“I’m very proud of her. She has big ideas,” Kevin said. “She thinks it’s very unfair that she gets to play outside every day and some kids don’t.”
Cancer has affected most everyone in one way or another. The Kostalnicks fit that category, as Kevin’s mother, Janet, passed away from breast cancer at the age of 46 when he was in college.
Natalie and her father will be selling water and Gatorade at the Brunswick Recreation Center on Saturday, Feb. 11 and at Weymouth Country Club on Saturday, Feb. 25. Her fundraising site is www.youcaring.com/DriveOutChildhoodCancer and can also be found on Facebook.
Natalie Kostalnick, 11, could be found on a recent Saturday at the Ehrnfelt Recreation Center with her father, Kevin, at Natalie’s Hydration Station selling water and Gatorade for Drive Out Childhood Cancer. Her one-day effort netted $240 to support childhood cancer research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
Natalie played in the Nationwide Children’s Championship Junior Golf Classic on the campus of The Ohio State University, the proceeds of which go toward Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the past two years. She finished second in the girls 9-11 category in 2016 and fourth in 2015. Unfortunately, the tournament has ceased its run and will not be held in 2017.
“I feel really, really bad that kids can’t go out every day and do what they like to do. I like to golf. I want to change that,” she said.
Natalie donated $250 in 2016 by saving monetary gifts from her birthday, Christmas and vacation. She has set an ambitious goal of $1,755 this year. As of the end of January, she is approximately half way to that goal, having raised $775.
“We were thinking of things to do so we thought of a car wash and lemonade stand. You can’t do those kind of things this time of year so we were thinking of selling something like the hydration station,” Natalie said.
Natalie, a fifth-grader at Sts. Joseph & John School, has been attending the Columbus tournament for the past three years. She began golfing at the age of 6.
“The first year we went to the tournament my dad said if I wanted to come back the next year I had to donate,” Natalie said.
“I’m very proud of her. She has big ideas,” Kevin said. “She thinks it’s very unfair that she gets to play outside every day and some kids don’t.”
Cancer has affected most everyone in one way or another. The Kostalnicks fit that category, as Kevin’s mother, Janet, passed away from breast cancer at the age of 46 when he was in college.
Natalie and her father will be selling water and Gatorade at the Brunswick Recreation Center on Saturday, Feb. 11 and at Weymouth Country Club on Saturday, Feb. 25. Her fundraising site is www.youcaring.com/DriveOutChildhoodCancer and can also be found on Facebook.