Tee Time
Shannon LeClair – Times Reporter
Emergency workers and members of the community dusted off their golf clubs and took part in the third annual Emergency Services Charity Golf Tournament. There were 26 teams who took part in the tournament, playing the full 18 holes.
Golfers started at their respective holes just after 9 a.m. and the last team came in around 3 p.m.
At 8:30 a.m. teams registered, and Debbie Bodner with Strathmore Victim Services, showed off her sales skills, convincing golfers to buy Mulligans, a chance for a do-over on a bad stroke.
MLA Arno Doerkson joined in the day’s activities, as did town councillors Lois Wegener and Earl Best.
Each team started at a different hole, in a shotgun start fashion. There were four people per team, working out to 106 players participating in the event. There were four hole-in-one prizes available, and through many community donors there was a silent auction.
“I had a great time and I think most of the golfers did and certainly the silent auction went well,” said Bodner.
The hole-in-one prizes included a $50,000 for hole four, $10,000 for hole eight, $3,500 to the winner and $500 to team members plus a trip for two to Mexico on hole 13, and a 2010 Chevrolet Aveo for hole 18.
Volunteers took turns manning the green on the hole-in-one holes to ensure the winners were legitimate. Last year the $50,000 hole-in-one prize was won by Sheldon Watson, and unfortunately this year no one won any of them. The Strathmore Fire Department set up a tent and BBQ at the seventh hole, and sold smokies, beer, and water to hungry and thirsty golfers. They also had a chipping contest set up where winners were entered into a raffle. Golfers gathered together for a steak dinner and prizes after finishing their 18 holes. There were prizes awarded to each team that participated and individual prizes for the longest putt and shortest putt among others. The winner of the shortest putt won a little pink purse and a set of golf balls. Elizabeth Robinson won $527.50 in the winner 50/50 draw.
The Strathmore Fire Department will receive a portion of the money raised this year and Victim Services will receive the rest.
“It’s partly because it’s their 100 anniversary, and they always help us quite a bit and we thought its time for us to give them something too,” said Bodner.
The golf tournament raised approximately $12,500 this year, which is in the middle of the past two years.