Colton Ray Waibel was only 5 days old when he passed away from a rare genetic disease called autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease but his short life is helping others seven years later.

Mike and Corinne Ronemus are hoping to continue to keep their godson’s memory alive by organizing the seventh annual Tee Off for Colton golf tournament, which will take place on June 24 at the Mahoning Valley Country Club.Corinne said that she and her husband hold the tournament, while Colton’s parents, Ryan and Melissa Waibel of Lehighton, hold a dinner and dance in their son’s memory every year.Through their efforts, the family has raised over $75,000 for the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation in Colton’s name.Colton was born on June 29, 2010, with a genetic disease that affects approximately 1 in 20,000 people annually.Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease is when cysts develop in the kidneys and interfere with their ability to filter waste from the blood. The cysts also enlarge the kidneys and lead to kidney failure.“Colton’s enlarged kidneys took up the needed space to allow his lungs to develop fully and function properly,” Corinne said.“As you can imagine, it was an uphill battle from the moment he was born. His friends and family rallied and our goal is to keep his memory alive and make sure his short time on earth was meaningful by helping others afflicted with PKD.”Tee Off for Colton is a four-man scramble. Registration begins at 7 a.m. and a shotgun start is at 8 a.m.The cost for the event is $75, which includes a round of golf with cart, a free lunch and chances for prizes.All proceeds raised will go to the PKD Foundation in memory of Colton.There are sponsorship opportunities available. More information on how to become a sponsor can be obtain by emailing Corinne at

cronemus4@gmail.com.To register a team for the scramble, visit

http://bit.ly/2nqEVzYChecks should then be made payable to “Friends of Colton” and mailed to Mike and Corinne Ronemus, 9630 Longswamp Road, Mertztown, PA 19539.For more information, contact Mike at 610-914-3503 or Corinne at 610-823-7815.