Richie Hall admits that when the Richie Hall Golf Classic began 24 years ago, he didn’t think it’d still be going on decades from now. The fundraiser for the Red Cross, presented by SecurTek, in the city happened again on May 22.
The event itself raises money for the different programs the Red Cross offers, such as disaster management assistance and Day of Pink.
It doesn’t feel like two and a half decades, says Hall, and he says that he’s impressed that the tournament has continued on beyond the original golfers and supporters when it began in 1991.
“Time flies, the people of Yorkton have been great supporters. The people at Deer Park and the people at Good Spirit when we went there. When you think about it, over twenty-four years it’s not the same people who have been here, but it’s been a very successful tournament over the years so I’d like to think people have passed on the word.”
Hall began working with the Red Cross as a volunteer with the blood clinics, and says Joanne McClenaghan was the person who got the ball rolling on the project as a way to raise funds.
Yorkton over the past several years has unfortunately had several opportunities to see the emergency services offered by the Red Cross, and Hall says that those events are an example of why you need to support an organization, so it’s possible to have their help when disaster does strike.
“They do need funds, it’s not always about them giving, you have to give back to them. It’s a vicious circle, you give to others, and others give back. It’s been a win-win situation for the Red Cross and the community of Yorkton, whether it’s from the golf tournament or the services they provide.”
Hall says that they intend to celebrate the silver anniversary of the tournament next year, before deciding what direction it takes in the future. He says that he’ll keep coming as long as people want him to, and he says he’s proud to have been a part of such a long-standing community project.
“If they want to keep it going, we’ll keep it going. I’ve been very thankful and very blessed to be the recipient of this adventure.”
Thankful for the support of the Yorkton community, he says that even if the 2015 event had beautiful weather, he’s come to town in the snow and golfers were still dedicated to making it work.
“When I think of my relationships in Saskatchewan, Yorkton is at the forefront. They have supported myself personally, and they have supported this endeavor for 24 years. I’d like to think that this is something that the community and the Red Cross can be proud of, I can’t think of too many endeavors where they have been doing it for this many years.”
As for the golf itself, Hall says that for himself it began and ended with great shots, and there’s no need to remember anything in between.
