Project H.O.P.E. to host golf scramble
By Jacob Miller Times Reporter
Project H.O.P.E. is planning to hold their first annual charity golf scramble on Aug. 30.
The golf scramble is in place of their annual fundraising gala that usually takes place at the end of March, that had to be cancelled due to COVID-19.
“Because of the new rules around social distancing and preventing the spread of COVID, that event had to be cancelled,” said Linda Tucker, the organizer for the event.
Project H.O.P.E. (Holistic Opportunities Provided in Education) is a non-profit organization in various schools within the Golden Hills School Division that provides music, art and adapted physical education therapy to children ages 3-18 with special needs. Every year, Project H.O.P.E. hosts a gala event that makes up a great portion of their fundraising efforts. This year’s event was cancelled, so the group has had to think of other ways to raise funds.
The board has three goals in mind with the golf scramble: to fundraise so they can continue to provide services in the fall, let the community know that Project H.O.P.E. is still out there, and to give people something to do.
The golf event is “really just to have a little bit of fun you know, to enjoy each other’s company outside on a beautiful Sunday and just reconnect again with our community,” said Tucker.
The scramble will be open to anyone of any age, with or without golfing skills.
The event will cost $95 per person, and it includes 18 holes of golf, a cart and lunch.
There will also be a 50/50 and prize raffles.
The fundraising from the event will go towards paying for therapies for children.
“All dollars raised will help us pay for all the music therapy that we offer our students and the adaptive physical education support that we offer our students,” said Tucker.
Project H.O.P.E. still plans on working with the Golden Hills School Division this coming fall.
“Project H.O.P.E. works collaboratively with Golden Hills to provide these services for kiddos during the school day when kids are most alert and most available for this kind of support, so absolutely we will continue to collaborate and connect together,” said Tucker.
With COVID-19, Project H.O.P.E. has had to rethink how they are going to fundraise in the future.
“We think that as a board we are going to continue to be creative with our fundraising efforts,” said Tucker.
She also said they are thinking into looking into grants from the government and other provincial funding, and maybe partner with local businesses and other organizations to continue to do what they do.
The charity hopes to have its annual fundraising gala in March of next year.
“All fingers crossed that we can still go forward in 2021 with a wonderful fundraising gala – that’s our next big event,” said Tucker.