The 14th Annual Charity Golf Classic was a huge success with golfers raising $109,131 in pledges for health. The funds will purchase equipment for 14 facilities in 12 communities in Sunrise Health Region.
"The day was perfect, windy but sunny and dry," says Ross Fisher, Executive Director of The Health Foundation.
"We have to thank our presenting sponsors who did a great job organizing the tournament this year. The Presenting Sponsors donate $3,000 each, and they also help organize the Charity Golf Classic in addition to their financial donation."
Presenting sponsors were: Mosaic Potash Esterhazy, SaskTel, Louis Dreyfus Commodities and the Credit Unions of East Central Saskatchewan.
"We like how this tournament is run, with the proceeds going to medical facilities throughout the health region, where many of your clients, customers and employees live," says Darryl Flunder, Procurement Manager for Louis Dreyfus. "Healthcare is a good cause, eventually everyone will use the healthcare system, and when we need it we want good facilities and equipment."
"I think all of us find this a rewarding event to work on, and a good cause to raise money for," adds Corvyn Neufeld, organizing committee member for the credit unions. "We all have customers, employees, friends and family in the communities of east central Saskatchewan. Working with The Health Foundation is a great way to give back to the communities we do business in, and say thank you to our members."
Fifty one businesses covered the costs of the golf tournament through sponsorships, and another 74 donated prizes. The large number of sponsorships and donated prizes keep the cost of the golf tournament low allowing 100 per cent of the monies raised by golfers to be used to buy equipment says Fisher.
"There is tremendous support from individuals throughout the region for the tournament as well. This year golfers collected 1,873 pledges. That's a huge number of people making donations, and it shows how much work the golfers do to raise funds for healthcare."
First prize this year was a seven day cruise, and two days at a PGA tour event. The winner can choose California or Florida. CAA Travel of Yorkton provided the vacation prize at no charge.
Top fundraisers this year were:
1. Brandy Mitschke, raised $8,220 to win the vacation cruise
2. Jack Powell, of Good Spirit Lake, raised $6,470, the second highest amount of money, and won a $1,000 travel voucher with CAA; and,
3. Ken Chyz raised $6,006 and won a $500 travel voucher with CAA.
This year the top fundraising team was Brandy Mitschke, Darryl Flunder, Kaley Vanin, and Henri Bouchard, who raised a total of $18,950. They were presented with the Credit Unions of East Central Saskatchewan Top Fundraising Team Trophy.
Fisher says The Health Foundation extends a very sincere thank you to each and every golfer for their tremendous effort to raise funds to improve local healthcare.
The equipment that will be purchased with proceeds from the Charity Golf Classic is arranged with the healthcare facility in each community before the golf tournament. That list is put together based on the results of the previous year.
The members of the 2013 Charity Golf Classic Organizing Committee are: Chair, Jerry Jemieff of Key Chevrolet; Sheila Johnson of SaskTel; Don Bruner representing Mosaic Potash Esterhazy, Corvyn Neufeld for the Credit Unions of East Central Saskatchewan, Brandy Mitschke of Louis Dreyfus Commodities, John Neufeld and Ross Fisher.
