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Golfing for Health proceeds top $25,000

Foundation funds essential to filling widening healthcare gaps

More than $25,000 was raised at the "Golfing for Health" tournament on July 8. Organizers haven’t finished tallying the proceeds from the 10 th annual Pemberton and District Health Care Foundation fundraiser but estimate the total may exceed $30,000. This will push the 10-year total for the charity over the $200,000 mark.

"It was our most successful Golfing for Health tournament ever," says Brian Young, general manager for The Pemberton Valley Golf and Country Club.

Despite dire weather leading up to the tournament, 138 golfers registered.

"The golf gods were watching out for us," laughs Young. " It poured down the night before and the morning shot gun was initially a wash out. But by the afternoon, the skies cleared and the sun came out. It was amazing."

Susie Burbich, from the B.C. Lottery Corporation, and Serge Cote of Glacier Creek Developments, tied for first place, both coming in 14 under par.

One hundred and sixty took part in the post-golf awards dinner. A silent auction held in conjunction with the dinner netted the foundation almost $6,000.

The Pemberton Health Centre will be receiving specific pieces of equipment as per the requests of the clinicians but the majority of the money will be contributed to a fund for the purchase of a CAT scan for the Whistler Health Centre. Currently, Sea-to-Sky corridor residents have no choice other than to travel to Vancouver to access the diagnostic equipment.

"The health care system is under a lot of stress. Events like the golf tournament are essential to filling in the gaps. The Health Care Foundation has become even more important in the last five or six years," says Dr. Rebecca Lindley, a physician with the PHC.

Priorities for new equipment have yet to be announced, but in previous years foundation funds have gone towards the acquisition of X-ray equipment, IV pumps and monitors.

A sad note to the proceedings was the absence of longtime Pemberton and District Health Care Foundation chair Bruce MacFayden. Chemotherapy treatment for stomach cancer had rendered him too vulnerable to infection to attend. Young read from a letter MacFayden had prepared for the evening.