Don't Miss "Wanna Be An Elk" Golf Tournament & Carter Wiese Benefit, Sept. 19

It is the time of year for the Sidney Elks Lodge BPOE 1782 and the community to come together for golf, good food, and a good cause. The Wanna Be An Elk Golf Tournament and Benefit is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19. The 4-person golf scramble will have registration 8:30-9 a.m. and the tournament starts at 10 a.m. at the Sidney Elks Lodge, 123 3rd St. SW. The silent auction will be held 4-7 p.m. and the live auction starts at 7 p.m. A free-will brisket and pulled pork dinner is being served up at 5 p.m. Everyone is invited to show up and support this year's benefit recipient, Carter Wiese, 19. Carter moved from Malta, MT, to Sidney in 2009 along with his mom, Jessica Wiese, and older sister, Aidan Wiese. At just three years old he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and for the next 15 years his condition continued to progress. In the fall of 2025, Carter received more advanced genetic testing from Shriners Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT, and learned he has P14KA-related Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP). This diagnosis is an umbrella term for a group of genetic disorders that mainly affect the nervous system and walking ability. Carter was the 25th person worldwide to be diagnosed with the particular form of the disorder. "Since the day he was born I have fought beside Carter, advocated for him, searched for answers and done everything I could to give him the best life possible," said Jessica. "His diagnosis may be rare and his future may be uncertain, but Carter is so much more than a diagnosis, He is a young man with dreams. He wants the same chance at life that every other 19-year-old deserves." In July, Carter underwent bilateral tibial derotational osteotomies and bilateral tibialis posterior lengthening in Salt Lake City. This surgery is intended to improve his walking ability, allowing him to remain independently mobile for as long as possible. Following his surgery and hospital stay, Carter spent six weeks in casts with no weight-bearing. When the casts were removed at the end of August, he was then admitted to the Rehabilitation Hospital of Montana, Billings, where he is currently receiving intensive inpatient rehabilitation. Jessica provides and coordinates all of Carter's day-to-day care and financial needs, and while she credits Sidney as a wonderful community with wonderful people, one of the family's biggest challenges is traveling for specialized medical care. They travel to Billings and Salt Lake City eight or more times a year, and each trip adds up with fuel, airfare, hotels, meals and other travel expenses. As a single mom, and with Carter being unable to work at the moment, those costs can be overwhelming, but the funds raised from the upcoming benefit will ease that financial stress. "More than anything it gives us some breathing room so when Carter needs to see a specialist, travel for treatment or needs something related to his care or recovery, the first question doesn't have to be 'How are we going to pay for this?'," Jessica explained. Jessica became an Elks member two years ago and said, "Joining has been one of the best decisions I have made. It is truly an incredible organization. It is an incredibly humbling experience to see people come together for someone who needs help. I never imagined that one day Carter would be on the receiving end of that same generosity. It is difficult to put into words what that means to us." Right now, Carter is focusing on recovering and walking independently again. Once he is on his feet, he hopes to find a job and earn his own money giving him independence, responsibility and a sense of accomplishment. He also hopes that he is eventually cleared to drive again. His mom encourages the community to create more opportunities for those with disabilities to be included, contribute and grow through meaningful employment. She hopes her son finds an employer willing to give him an opportunity to develop the skills he needs to become confident and successful. Golf tournament registration forms can be picked up at the Sidney Elks Lodge and questions regarding the golf tournament can be directed to 406-480-9052. Anyone who would like to make a financial donation can drop it off at the Sidney Elks Lodge, and donations to the live and silent auctions can be made by calling 541-645-4202. The Wiese family would like to thank the Sidney Elks Lodge, Shriners Children's Hospital, businesses, farmers, ranchers and individuals who have donated, everyone who has bought a raffle ticket, all of the volunteers and every person who has reached out, offered encouragement or shared Carter's story. "There may only be a handful of people in the world with Carter's disorder, but there is only one Carter and he deserves every opportunity we can give him. My greatest hope is that when people hear his story, they don't see a young man with a rare disorder. I hope they see his determination, his potential and everything he still has ahead of him. I am so proud to be his mother," Jessica said. She added, "Rare may be part of Carter's story, but it will never define who he is. The kindness and generosity this community continues to show its people year after year is remarkable. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!"