The 17th Annual Karl Potach Memorial Golf Tournament and Dinner for Pediatric Cancer Research was a success again as the tournament raised $60,000 for children’s cancer research.

The tournament, which drew 157 golfers and 250 people to the banquet, has now raised nearly $900,000 in 17 years.

“I think each year we develop more of a following and we’ve got more people out there golfing,” Kurt Potach said.

Karl Potach died of Wilms Tumor on Oct. 5 of 1997 after a three year battle with the disease and Kurt and Brenda Potach decided to start the tournament in his memory with the help of Lance and Snow Pogones.

The tournament has grown each and every year and it has raised funds for Pediatric Medical Equipment in Austin Medical Center and Adams Clinic and funds for Pediatric Cancer research. Of all the funds raised 85 percent of the money has stayed in Austin and Rochester.

Kurt Potach never imagined the golf tournament becoming as big as it has and now the one million dollar mark is within reach.

“We never realized what it might turn into. It’s grown real well,” he said.

Sponsors: Fawver Agency, Bollingberg Chiropractic, Perkins Restaurant, Hill, Larson, Walth & Benda, PA, M.J. O’Connor, The Old Mill Restaurant, Edward Jones – Thad Kusick, Fox Electric, Overby Orthodontics, Adams, Rizzi & Sween, PA, L & M Boiler Systems, Conrad and Jennifer Ray, Morem Tree Services, Greenman Heating and Refig, Jones Cabinets, Sterling State Bank, Medicap Pharmacy, Collision Specialists, McDonalds, Stypula Family, Roger and Sons LLC, Jim’s Market Place, Bremer Bank, Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Theissen Signs, Home Federal Savings Bank, Hormel Foods Corp., The Joseph Company, James Richardson Family, Trachsel Dental Studio, First Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Meadow Greens Golf Course, Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Arro Construction LLC, Duane and Jody Feragen, Accentra Credit Union, Knutson Construction, Lisa Hines Agency, Apollo Liquors, Clasen-Jordan Mortuary, Dolan Landscaping Center, State Farm Insurance, Steve Justice, Integrity Real Estate, Integrity Real Estate, SPAM, Patterson Dental, US Bank, Austin Bruins, Davis, Thoen, Kramer & Associates, Holiday Dodge and Holiday Ford, Reeve Chiropractic, Potach and Mitchell Dental Clinic, Games People Play, Usems, Hy-Vee, Jeff Jirele Insurance Company, IBI Data, Michael and Katherine Harte, Greg Meyer Insurance Agency, Todd Hepler, Thompson Auction Service, Dave Thompson, Ameriprise Financial, Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company, Shannon Steensma, AdvisorNet Financial, Chuck Moline, Tom Sherman, Bendixen Jewelry, Mary Moline, Simplified Technology Solutions LLC, Justin Bickler, Sorenson’s Appliance and TV, Clifton Larson Allen, Lowell Foster, Quality Pork Processors, Kelly Wadding, Steve Drennan, Mayo Clinic Health System-Austin, Evan Larson, Attorney at Law, RBC Wealth Management, Curtis Anderson and Tom Wuertz, Lance and Snow Pogones, Moline Auction Co., Mike and Amy Cooper, Eastwood Bank-Austin, Steve Murley