Golf tourney returns for 8th year
Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter
The eighth annual Emergency Services Golf tournament is ready to get underway on June 20 at the Strathmore Golf Course. Staff Sgt. Kevin Reilly first started the golf tournament when he took a posting in the community.
“Part of the reason why I started the tournament seven and a half years ago is we wanted to be involved in our community, do some good and have people interact with our members and us, and see us in a different light, whether it’s us, fireman, ambulance, town constables. Seeing us in a light that’s different than us bringing your kid home at three in the morning,” said Reilly.
The funds raised from the tournament are donated to Victim Services each year, with a portion, usually $2,000, being donated to Hospital Auxiliary.
The thought behind making VSU the main organization funds are raised for was the fact that everyone can use VSU, not just victims of crime. The money raised helps VSU with getting equipment and helps them attend additional workshops, seminars and training past the technical requirements for becoming an advocate.
Another thing he thought was important is donating to another organization or charity that also benefits everyone within the area.
Over the past six years the funds have been donated to the hospital, with the direction to use them in the emergency room. Over the past eight years over $100,000 has been raised, with approximately $12,000 of that going to the hospital. The first few years the Community Crisis Society had received funding, not the hospital.
A number of community members and organizations have been supporters since the inception of the tournament, including Global Training Centre (GTC).
GTC has been the tournament sponsor for the past few years. They had always supported it, but when the opportunity arose to be a main supporter they snapped it up.
“Global Training Centre is about saving lives so is emergency services. We have been affiliated and some of us have been on the fire department, we still have active members on the fire department, as well the ambulance services so it is the perfect synergy for us to be involved in this tournament, support the local community and the great causes that the emergency services golf tournament supports,” said President of GTC Delor Silva about their involvement.
Everyone gets a power cart between two people, playing in groups of four for best ball. Reilly said it is a fun tournament, no handicaps, and they are not worried about who is winning and who’s losing, though they do keep score and have a trophy for the ‘winners’ and a plaque for the most honest team.
Every golfer gets a little gift bag at the beginning of the tournament, and prizes are given out at the end for a number of different reasons.
Out on the course itself there are lots of things to do in addition to playing your 18 holes. The Strathmore Fire Department sells smokies and drinks, and has a chipping contest, LubeCity will be back also with smokies. There are hole-in-one prize holes, a closest to the line drive, a putting contest and lots more.
Inside there will be items out for the silent auction, and there will be a steak dinner before awards and prizes are given out.
“There is a number of different ways you can support the tournament, you can make a donation for a gift of any sort for a team prize or a silent auction item to be sold to raise money,” said Reilly.
“They can obviously play in the tournament, like I said it’s $125 a player, or they can sponsor a hole. Its $500 to sponsor a hole and with that they get one free registration.”
The tournament costs $125 per player, and up to 144 golfers can be entered in. Registration is the morning of the tournament at 8 a.m., and to pre-register contact Tammy Cooper at VSU 403-934-6552, or Staff Sgt. Kevin Reilly at 403-934-3968.