Longlands Golf Course held its second annual Golf Fore The Cure event last week, raising more than $800.
The warm weather and great cause — the fight against breast cancer — brought out more than 60 golfers ranging in age from eight to 80 to the local par-three course.
“The event was a great success, what a wonderful way to end the ladies nights for the season,” said Donna Smith, event co-ordinator.
It was an evening of some good and bad golf, a great dinner, a few tears, and lots of fun prizes. Course regular Heather Gaines won the contest for Most Creative Pink Outfit and Anna Robitaille won the huge gift basket by donation.
Many others took home draw and auction prizes donated by local business sponsors Pepsi, Sysco Foods, B&C Foods, Investors Group, and Vancouver Island Brewery. The hole-in-one prize of a 2014 Longlands season pass went unclaimed.
Golf Fore The Cure is a national program to raise funds and awareness in the fight against breast cancer with events being held at golf courses across the country. The Longlands event surpassed last year’s total for the Canadian Cancer Society.
Marty and Donna Smith, proprietors of Longlands Golf Course and Restaurant, along with Jenna Taylor of Investors Group, co-ordinated this year’s event.
“Co-ordinating these types of events is a team effort; it just can’t be done without the support of our sponsors, our staff, and all our regulars who showed up decked out in pink. It really was a fun night," Marty said.
"Our youngest player was eight years old, and I am pretty sure the oldest player was close to 80 years — how awesome is that! We ended up having to close the entire course due to the number of participants who came from as far away as Campbell River and Parksville,” recalled Marty.
After a few weeks to wind down, preparations will begin to start co-ordinating next year’s event.
— Longlands Golf Course