Children’s Charity Golf Classic Raises $21,000 for Stollery

The Stollery Children’s Hospital has been a huge part of Mark Reid and his family’s lives, that he decided six years ago to give back to the facility. Reid, an avid golfer, loved how fun tournaments brought communities together, forged new friendships and had the ability to raise money for great causes. It was natural for him to put together a great one-day Texas scramble at the Bonnyville Golf & Country Club. This year the tournament brought in $21,000.

“Everything we get from the tournament goes directly to the Stollery,” Reid explains his ten year old daughter, Kennedy, has a rare medical condition, Costello Syndrome, that has her going to the Stollery 10-12 times a year. “Our daughter, Kennedy, has been going in there since she’s been a month old. She’s had seven different surgeries and countless appointments over the years.” Reid says the idea for a tournament came after Kennedy had her wish granted through the Children’s Wish Foundation. Rather than paying it forward by granting another kids’ wish (as important as that is), Reid and family decided to host an annual tournament to benefit the hospital; which would in turn help hundreds, even thousands, of children.

Due to the rarity of Kennedy’s condition, there aren’t many doctors familiar with the syndrome, nor do many know how to treat it. Reid says the Stollery is one of the few hospitals in Canada able to help, “they have the resources and the equipment to help her. All of her doctors are basically at the Stollery, everybody there is a specialist at something. We get top-notch care there.”

Reid is very grateful for sponsors, “it’s incredible. Some of the silent auction items have been amazing.” Despite the economy cash donations also came in to help the event, as well as very generous in-kind sponsorship. Nancy Proctor with Yums the Word catering, in Bonnyville, donates all of the steaks for the 140 golfers, “this is her fifth year donating all the steaks,” confirms Reid. Brian Seward privately donated $2,500 and Seven Lakes Oilfield donated $2,000; both donations went towards green fees. “MRC Global always donates a major prize towards the kids’ putting contest,” says Reid. “Woods’ Driving School put up a $10,000 Hole-in-One,” which unfortunately no one won.

“I thought this year would be hard for us to get sponsorships or event golfers. But we’ve exceeded expectations, this is our best year yet with cash donations,” the tournament was full on Saturday with 140 golfers taking to the links. Combining the last five year donations of $89,000, the group has officially raised over $100,000 in six years for the Stollery Children’s Hospital.