On Sept. 4, Northampton’s Hungarian Hall Golf Association held its Ring of Fire golf tournament at Willowbrook Golf Course in North Catasauqua. But this wasn’t your typical golf outing. It was a benefit that, over the past 10 years, has raised more than $63,000 to help a needy person, family or charity, according to Jeff Christoff, the charity’s spokesperson.

This year’s tournament proceeds benefited the Megan Duarte Memorial Fund. On May 3 of this year, Duarte, 29, gave birth to her second son after a normal nine months of pregnancy. Eight weeks after her new son Kayden’s birth, Duarte collapsed in the middle of the night. Her husband, Mark, began CPR until an ambulance arrived. By the time she arrived at the hospital, her heart had stopped multiple times and she slipped into a coma. Doctors diagnosed her condition as Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection, resulting from hormonal changes, a very rare condition that can occur to otherwise healthy women in the first few weeks after giving birth.

While in the hospital, Duarte had multiple procedures and interventions in an attempt to save her life. Despite these efforts, she remained in a coma until passing on July 27 of this year.

With two young children to raise and maintain his job, her husband needed all the support and prayers he could get. So it was decided that this year’s golf benefit funds will be used for both immediate and future needs for the family, including medical bills.

After last year’s tournament, proceeds went to a little boy who lost a limb in a lawnmower accident. And going back to 2004 when the club formed, there were other beneficiaries.

This year’s tournament had 132 golfers playing a shotgun start. Lending a huge assist in the tournament was the ladies’ auxiliary of Hungarian Hall, who handled registration and oversaw the food and refreshments. And according to John (Rabbit) Gasper of Northampton, an annual tournament player, accolades must also be given to the cart ladies who serve refreshments over the 18 holes of the golf tournament.

In case you’re wondering the significance of the “Ring of Fire” team nickname, it was derived, said Christoff, as a result of the guys watching an Eagles football game at the club.

“When the Birds got two quick touchdowns in a row, Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” song was playing in the background, so we thought it was good luck, and we adopted it,” he said.

Aside from registration fees, the benefit had both gold and silver star sponsors, the list of which includes such notables as Willowbrook Golf Course, Banko Beverages, Courtyard by Marriott, Frantz Trophies, Northampton Recreation Center, Uline, Tyco Security, Ryder Tool, Eighty Proof Screenprinting, Harley Davidson, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Wawa, Miller Supply Ace Hardware, Northampton Concrete, Tommy Burke Provisions and a long list of individual and family donors that contribute to make this tournament and proceeds possible.

For more information on the club, visit ringoffireclub.com.