Golf tournament helps raise money for families of fallen veterans

Noblesville, Indiana — On Thursday, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation honored Corporal Humberto Sanchez who was killed in a bombing attack at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan in 2021.

According to Kevin Rankel, a member of the Marine Corp, the event was on track to raise $100,000 in scholarship money for children of Marines.

On Wednesday night, an organizer said the group raised $150,000 for the Marine Corp Scholarship fund.

According to Rankel, he approached the Sanchez family because he has a similar story to them.

“In 2011, the first year this initiative started, the honoree was my son. He was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010. We liked what we saw, and we continued to be involved. It’s been a great experience for us just because we’ve been able to hook up with other gold star families,” Rankel said.

Since 2007, Tyler Mensch, another Marine Corp member, said he’s helped organize events honoring fallen Marines. “It’s been heartwarming and impressive for 15 years to see how people will come together to put this thing on. It’s about using networks and it’s about communicating what we’re trying to do and providing this opportunity,” Mensch said. “Once you provide it, you’d be amazed how it comes together.”

Sanchez, originally from Logansport, was the first in his family to be born in the United States and serve in the U.S. military.

72 different teams honored Sanchez at Pebble Brook Golf Club in Noblesville, Rankel said.