Ducharme Motors Golf Tournament raises over $30K for Adolescent Mental Health

On September 15th, Ducharme Motors hosted their annual charity golf tournament. In the 9th year of the event, the tournament brought in $30,469.66  for the Bonnyville Child & Adolescent Mental Health Collaborative. “Not a lot of people are aware that mental health is a big issue, in Bonnyville,” says organizer of the annual Ducharme Motors Charity Golf Tournament, Shon Gamache. “We were talking with the Bonnnyville Health Foundation and they told us, that’s an area that they really need some funds.”

Each year, the car dealership works with the Bonnyville Health Foundation to determine where the funds are most needed. In past years, the tournament has benefited the Health Foundation in general, cancer fundraising and the Doctor Recruitment program. With the Bonnyville Child & Adolescent Mental Health Collaborative in its second year, the Health Foundation felt fund would be best allocated to the program. “With all the social media and bullying that’s going on in the world, mental health is becoming a real issue,” Gamache says Ducharme Motors jumped on board right away.

Owner, Greg Ducharme covered the cost of the meals for the 82 golfers, so that all the registration fee (after the green fees) could go directly to the program. The Municipal District of Bonnyville also stepped up and donated $10,000 to the cause. “We had various cash donations and auction donations,” Gamache says there was great support from businesses in the community that helped contribute to the success of the tournament. “We want to express how much we appreciate the community joining up with us and supporting the cause. Without that, it wouldn’t have been the success that it was.”