Special Olympics Gold Medalist Jonathan Doring Plays Marathon Golf in 2015 CMAA Children's Charity Tournament

    BOCA RATON, FL, May 07, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- He plays golf, tennis and softball. He bowls and speed skates. He's won athletic medals and ribbons of every kind and even brought home the gold in 2011 from the Special Olympics' World Summer Games in Athens, Greece. Now, the inspirational athlete continues to defy the devastating symptoms of severe Autism by participating in the Marathon Golf portion of the 2015 Club Managers Association of America Seminole Region's children's charity tournament going now through the beginning of June. Jonathan Doring and his teammate Rich Fleming, Director of Special Olympics Florida, played a total of 54 holes at Jupiter Country Club on May 4th. Fleming also played on a second team that shot 116 holes. Marathon Golf raised over $145,000 of last year's tournament total of $575,000, all of which was donated to children's charities throughout South Florida. This year, with Doring's help, Marathoners are shooting for at least $200,000 by playing as many holes as possible in one day having received pledges for each hole.

What makes this Special Olympian so special is that as a child of six, Jonathan isolated himself in his room, never speaking, never responding to anyone, unable to look anyone in the eye, reacting strongly to any physical touch and displaying a number of obsessive compulsive behaviors. He was diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome, which fall under the Autism spectrum. That was over 20 years ago. Since then, not only has he overcome most of his challenges, he became part of the Athlete Leadership Program in 1999 and has been a Global Messenger and public speaker since 2001. He served two terms as Chairperson and Communications/Technology Chair on the Athlete Input Council for Palm Beach County and attended the 2013 Athlete Congress for Special Olympics Florida. With an associate's degree from Palm Beach Community College, the Boynton Beach resident credits the Special Olympics for these and many more achievements.

"The Special Olympics has had a great impact on my life. They definitely improved my physical fitness but also instilled a great sense of worth and self esteem while teaching me that I can set goals and have every expectation of achieving them," Doring explained.

Meanwhile, Gary Collins, Marathon Golf Committee Chair noted, "Since Marathon Golf continues through May, there's still time for anyone to put together a team and play as many holes as they can at any of nine participating golf communities. We follow basic scorning rules, but short of picking up the ball and throwing it, that's about it. It's all about having fun, and you don't have to be any good! As long as you can tee off and sink putts, you're in!"

The CMAA event culminates with a "Best Ball" Tournament at Boca West Country Club where over 400 golfers will play "Fore the Community." No other tournament has this many golfers participating in a single charity event, which will be punctuated with an extravagant gala celebration at the Boca West grand ballroom at the beginning of June.

For more information or to sign up your company or club for Marathon Golf, contact Gary Collins at 561-261-3554 or [email protected]. To sign up for the June's Best Ball Tournament contact Darlene Wright at Boca West Country Club, 561-488-6990 or [email protected] . If you simply wish to make a tax-deductable donation, make check payable to "The Seminole Region Charity Tournament" and send to Gary Collins, Marathon Golf, 5500 Military Trail, #22-261, Jupiter, FL 33458. People whose donations total $100 or more will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a 3-day, 2-night stay at Key Largo's Ocean Reef Club.

# # #