Joe Conklin voices support for charitable legacy

JOE CONKLIN says the player personnel moves the Philly teams are making are killing his act.

"At this rate I'll only be able to do Cole Hamels for another 10 minutes," the man of 1,000 voices said with a laugh.

While players come and go, one thing remains constant in Conklin's life: Mary Kate's Legacy Foundation.

Conklin's niece, Mary Kate Marlow, suffered from a rare progressive disease called Infantile Neuro-axonal Dystrophy and died in 2005 at age 11.

"She was a very special kid," Conklin said. "She had no voluntary movement in her body. And yet, she drew people to her and she had her own little group of friends. She went to Newtown Elementary and was a fixture at the 11 o'clock Mass every Sunday at St. Bede's.

"After she passed, her father Tom rallied us together and started the foundation."

Tom Marlow said he felt he had to give back.

"People were there for us when we needed it," Marlow said. "We had to install lifts to help Mary Kate get in and out of cars and they're not covered by insurance. People held benefits for us and I'm forever grateful. I knew I had to pay it forward."

The foundation holds many events to raise funds for families with children with special needs, including a golf tournament that has taken place every year since Mary Kate's passing.

This year's outing is on May 11 at the Philmont Country Club in Huntingdon Valley.

Conklin, who will hang out and perform, said he never knows who will show up. In the past, many local athletes and sports personalities have come out.

The day kicks off with brunch at 10:30 a.m., followed by golf (including use of the locker rooms and on-course refreshments) at noon. After that, there's a cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres and an open bar, and dinner. There also will be tournament trophies and awards and silent and live auctions of sports memorabilia and golf packages.

For information, call Tom Marlow at 215-421-7677.