READLYN -- Memorials eternalize people, places and things, those important aspects of life worth remembering. The Readlyn community wants to remember young Klay Heineman.

The 8-year-old collapsed while biking to school in September 2003. He died eight days later of a rare and undetected heart disease.

When Klay passed away, family and friends honored the boy through services at St. Mary's Church and St. Joseph Cemetery in Waverly. Later, third-grade classmates at the elementary school wore handmade bracelets. Members of the flag football team wore jersey's with the name of their teammate.

"He just loved the outdoors and he loved any kind of sporting activity," Jeff Heineman, Klay's father, said. "He was a real active and energetic young boy."

Such gestures, hopefully, bring a measure of comfort to family and relatives. Another on Saturday will honor Klay once again, but will also help other hurting families.

The second annual Klay Heineman Memorial Golf Outing will raise money for the Ronald McDonald House and the Children's Miracle Network of Iowa. And, new this year, some of the donations will go toward the Klay Heineman Memorial Scholarship.

" … Golf was something he enjoyed doing with us as a family," Jeff said. "We thought it'd be a nice way to keep Klay's memory alive."

Last year 96 golfers and donors raised $3,800 for Ronald McDonald House and Children's Miracle Network. This year, all 96 openings filled up quickly and no more entries are being accepted. Donations, however, will be taken.

The event will start at 8 a.m. at the Wapsie Ridge Country Golf course. Businesses and individuals donated prizes as giveaways.

"People are very, very generous," Brenda Heineman, Klay's mother, said.

The Heinemans are also thanking friends in Iowa City. The family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House, which offers lodging and food to families with children visiting the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

During the stay, members of the University of Iowa athletics department and men's basketball team visited Klay, the kid with "Jeff Horner" hair.

The acts of kindness by athletes and officials touched a family facing dark times. Klay suffered three heart attacks before dying.

Though it's not unusual for families to hold benefits, the Heinemans' golf outing goes beyond the norm in scope, vision and energy, said Ed Zastrow, executive director of the Ronald McDonald House.

"This is a well-organized, well-thought-through event," Zastrow said. "They are outwardly motivated to help others."

Families deal with loss differently and holding a benefit can be a healthy way to process grief.

"They are not trying to hide this, deny this, walk away from it," Zastrow said. "They are trying to take a very tragic event and very profound loss and yet do some good from it and do it in his name with his friends, their friends. And it's positive."

The golf event may be the most visible tradition, but the Heinemans and Readlyn residents have taken other strides to keep Klay's memory. On one of his birthdays, classmates and friends wore Kansas City Chief's colors and released balloon messages.

Last year, the Heinemans created a backyard pond with Klay's FFA goldfish. This spring, Klay's former classmates painted rocks for the garden.

The school yard features a marker and tree, and several more are planted throughout the community.

The evidence suggests many wanted to do something to remember a young life cut short and to support a family involved in the Cedar Valley.

Jeff is a volunteer firefighter, works at GMAC Mortgage and has coached Little League. Brenda works at CUNA Mutual in Waverly. They have two sons, Kyle, a sophomore, and Kory, a freshman.

Jeff and Brenda Heineman said they are indebted to their friends for the continued support.

"The community of Readlyn has been so outstanding," Jeff said. "So many times you take something like this for granted … "

Contact Karen Heinselman at (319) 291-1570 or at karen.heinselman@wcfcourier.com.

How to help:

To make a general donation or to contribute to the Klay Heineman Memorial Scholarship, call Jeff and Brenda Heineman at (319) 279-3906. Or mail to Jeff Heineman, 202 W. Clark St., Readlyn, IA 50668-9785.