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Hernando Today

Teeing Off For A Pediatric Center

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By TONY HOLT

Hernando Today

Published: May 13, 2008

SPRING HILL - Robert Jobmann looked the part.

He had on a collared, short-sleeved shirt and khaki shorts.

He couldn't fool his buddies though. He had never played a round of golf in his life before Saturday.

He and three of his friends joined him on the links at Seven Hills Golfers Club for a Best Ball 4 Person Scramble. More than 20 others also took part in the tournament.

One of Jobmann's friends, Scott Hutch, nailed a drive on the third hole.

As Hutch prepared for his putt, Jobmann mentioned his wife was expecting their first child in July.

"Maybe he can benefit from all this," he said of Hutch.

The proceeds Saturday went toward the Our Baby R.I.A. Foundation, founded by Jobmann and his wife, Christy.

Their 7-month-old daughter, Rachael, died after she was admitted to St. Joseph's Hospital in July 2006. The couple originally brought her to Spring Hill Regional Hospital, but doctors examined her and told her parents she merely suffered from "cold-like symptoms."

By the time she was brought to Tampa, doctors there could not revive her. She succumbed to respiratory failure.

The couple's case against Spring Hill Regional is still in litigation, but the cause is more important to them than any settlement.

The foundation was created to raise awareness - and money - for a newly established pediatric intensive care unit in Hernando County.

A check for $10,000 will pay for some of the training and resources needed for a local center. Some of those proceeds were collected Saturday.

St. Joseph's is working hand-in-hand with Spring Hill Regional to make that happen, Jobmann said.

"It's a wonderful foundation," said Beverly Dorsey, a former paralegal who worked on the case and who is now a friend of the Jobmanns. "We really need to bring awareness to the community. Hernando County has changed a lot."

The area, particularly Spring Hill, went from a community made up mostly of seniors to a more diverse area comprised of families with young children.

The health care needs have changed.

"Sometimes, seconds count between life and death," Dorsey said.

She said this while sitting in her golf cart waiting for the tournament to begin. A couple of carts along were Jim and Kathy Mauro.

Kathy Mauro is Christy Jobmann's mother. She and her husband had not swung a club in years.

"Ten, 15 years ago I had a goal to play golf everyday," Jim Mauro said. "I don't even know if I can hit the ball anymore."

Christy Jobmann glanced toward her mom and stepfather. She laughed at the thought of organizing a golf tournament. The thought never would have crossed her mind months ago.

"As you can tell, we've never done a golfing event," she said. "We're bowlers."

Many of the golfers were trying it for the first time Saturday. Co-workers, family and friends were doing it in support of the Jobmann's, Rachael's memory and the cause.

The event was advertised in local papers, flyers on pizza boxes and on the Internet.

Having it on Mother's Day Weekend posed an extra challenge, but thousands of dollars were raised by the end of the afternoon.

Robert Jobmann summed up the community's support by saying the cause started off small, but it has since "snowballed."

More than 6,500 people have signed the petition for a new pediatric care center in Hernando County.

For more information about the foundation and upcoming events, visit www.ourbabyriafoundation.org.

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

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