Three years ago, Colleen Brown, Jacky Lothian and Ev Sillers hosted the first White Bear Lake Ladies Golf Tournament, which was designed as a way for females to have fun on the fairway, while benefitting local causes.
“Last year and once again, this year, we've decided to support STARS Air Ambulance,” says Lothian. “It's really a way to benefit everybody. STARS is something we can all support, because the need for STARS' assistance is something that could potentially affect everyone in Saskatchewan. I always think of their slogan, 'A symbol of hope in the sky.' STARS is not only there at that critical moment, but they are cutting edge. Now they carry blood for transfusions on board and the first place STARS did that was in Regina.”
Lothian, who has toured STARS' Regina facility was impressed by what she saw. “We always believed STARS was a great cause, and it's a non-profit, too. When we help STARS, we're really helping to support what would be an essential service for people in our province.”
Brown agrees. “STARS has already done great things in this area. It's especially important to people in this area, because we're a two-hour drive away from a major city and a fully-equipped hospital.”
Since establishing operations in Saskatchewan in 2012, STARS has dispatched the following flights to this area: Alameda-1, Arcola-25, Carlyle-6, Heward-1, Kennedy-1, Kenosee Lake-3, Kisbey-2, Lampman-5, Maryfield-2, Redvers-2, Stoughton-9, Wawota-2 and White Bear Lake-3.
Vanessa Headford of STARS' Regina office says, “STARS air ambulance is able to serve this province because of our donors, partners and supporters like the organizers of the White Bear Lake Ladies Golf Tournament. We are always grateful for the commitment of time and donations from communities across Saskatchewan.”
Golfers from throughout Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta and Ontario enjoyed a day of golf, which began with a breakfast of coffee and Carlyle Bakery cinnamon buns and ended with supper and prizes at the Bear Claw Casino.
“The reason we're so successful is because of our sponsors,” says Sillers. “The women have a lot of fun and thanks to our sponsors, the prizes are great-and everybody gets one.”
Many of 125 golfers included returning players along with some new faces.
“We had some younger golfers this year,” says Brown. “And we'd like to encourage them to join us.”
“It's a lot of fun. I've golfed in it for all three years and every year, they do a great job of organizing it,” says returning golfer Bertha Isleifson of Carlyle. “And it's a great cause.”
“Each and every person who supports us and events like this one is helping patients in their time of greatest need,” says STARS' Headford. “We are grateful.”
