Junior Meredith Hurley made a class project a reality Nov. 10, raising $20,000 for Seattle Children's Hospital and to raise awareness for a rare disorder known as Addison's disease.

Juniors Allyson Bagg, Alexandrea Castoe and Sara Latter also helped plan the event, part of an assignment for professor of business Dr. Henry Peterson's "Organizational Behavior for Managers" class.

The assignment was to find a need in the community and meet it, and Hurley thought to raise money for Children's Hospital through a charity golf tournament, she said.

Bagg and Castoe wanted their project to help the homeless while Latter could not stop thinking about young Annie Sullivan, the daughter of a family friend, living with massive brain damage after doctors failed to diagnose her with as Addison's disease, a rare endocrine disorder which affects production of natural steroids in adrenal glands.

Their final concept was able to incorporate both of these ideas, Latter said.

While other groups chose to perform one-time service projects, Hurley, Bagg, Castoe and Latter opted to hold a charity golf tournament. The four students organized the tournament in three weeks, and it took place Nov. 10 at Harbor Pointe Golf Club in Mukilteo.

For the donations to be tax deductable, they had to be certified as an official 501(c)(3) organization, which usually entails churches, schools or non-profit groups, Latter said. A couple of college women hosting a charity tournament didn't exactly qualify, she explained.

If donation checks were made out specifically to SPU, an official 501(c)(3) organization, the university could then donate the funds to Seattle Children's Hospital and the Addison's disease charity, Hurley said.

The group approached business dean Jeff Van Duzer a day before their official flyers and tournament invites were to hit the printers, Hurley said. Because of the lack of time, the business department did not have the authority to allow such a partnership, Hurley said.

Without SPU approval, there was no way of donating the funds. Essentially, the entire tournament would have to be cancelled, Latter said.

Going directly to university President Philip Eaton was the only way to get approved on such short notice, Latter said.

Eaton was excited about the group's idea and approved it immediately, Latter said.

With everything in place, the flyers were printed and sent out to prospective golfers, donors and sponsors, Latter said.

The women originally hoped to give $1,000 to 20 families in need, though they later decided this $20,000 goal was set too high to be realistic, Hurley said. Once all the donations started coming in, however, the group decided to try and shoot for their original $20,000 mark, she said.

One week before the tournament, the total amount in donations raised was $10,000, Hurley said. In that final week, the women procured the remaining $10,000 in golfer fees, company sponsorships, raffle prizes and independent donations, Hurley said.

A family friend's Web site, AnnaLeeSullivan.org, helped spread the word about the charity tournament, Latter said.

Annie Sullivan is the young daughter of Latter's family friend Bill Sullivan. Annie's parents, Bill and Jean Sullivan, started the Addison's Education Program (AEP) to provide awareness about the disease, Latter said.

An Addison's research supporter from New Jersey saw the Web site and donated 50 polo shirts, each worth $30, Latter said. "He said he was moved by Annie's story," Latter said.

The charity golf tournament also received around $2,500 in raffle donations from golf equipment giants Taylor Made and Nike Golf. With other donations, including a PlayStation 3 from Sony Entertainment, over 19 people walked away with really great raffle prizes, Hurley said.

Gift bags for all 58 participating golfers included mugs, pens, golf balls, food, raffle tickets and more, Latter said.

Annie Sullivan herself, now 4 years old, made an appearance at the tournament. "She was really sick that day, so she could only stay for, like, 20 minutes. Then her mom had to take her home," Hurley said.

It was only the second time Bagg, Hurley and Castoe had even seen Annie, they said. She can't talk or walk and has limited control of her functions.

Annie's face has grown larger than normal and has dark circles under her eyes, Hurley said. Looking at pictures of Annie before her diagnosis, she said it's hard to believe she is the same kid.

Funds donated to Bill and Jean Sullivan's AEP will help make educational posters to hang in hospital rooms across the United States. They will list the signs and symptoms of Addison's disease, which will allow for correct diagnosis of the disease, Latter said.

Money donated to Seattle Children's Hospital will go toward the "Uncompensated Care" division, which helps low income families to cover the cost of medical, food and living expenses, Latter said.