Golfers take the sting out of charity work
It was a 35 C day last week and hopefully Fred Rayner took a bow in heaven when the company he founded 97 years ago raised $46,000 at a golf tournament.
Funds raised by the Rayner’s Vets Group, comprised of mechanical, sheet metal and service divisions, will go to support Little Warriors, Valour Place and Habitat for Humanity.
“Some players told us they had returned from vacation early to play in our annual tournament,” said Erin Rayner, a fourth-generation Rayner and an organizer of the tournament at the Edmonton Garrison Memorial Golf Course.
“Two players, friends and suppliers, made the trip from B.C.’s Lower Mainland to play. Neither heat nor swarms of wasps could dampen the enthusiasm of our golfers.”
Fred Rayner returned from the First World War in 1918, injured and married to the nurse who had cared for him in hospital.
In 1921, he founded VETS Sheet Metal Ltd. and named it to honour the men he had fought with. Rayner also hired many war veterans, a tradition VETS has continued.
Best score (-19) at the tournament was posted by Don Barr and Mark McKinley, of Lloyd Sadd Insurance, and Cory Jodoin of Jen Col Construction.
An unusual performance on my foursome came from Nancy Taubner, 72, who returned from Hawaii this year with a set of old clubs and a golf bag she had bought for $30.
We used eight of her drives (the format was a scramble). I’m not sure whether this reflected my poor play and that of our usually reliable golfing partners Kevin Mueller and Stu Tutt.
But then I decided Pele, the Hawaiian God of Fire, had decided to light up Taubner’s game.
A post-game auction raised $22,200, with a heli-fishing trip realizing $1,500; four Loge-table Oilers hockey tickets selling for $1,400 and a couple of Justin Timberlake tickets going for $950.
CYCLISTS REGISTER AN EAST COAST FIRST
Keen Edmonton cyclists Jan TerHart and Sue Lambert flew to St. John’s, N.L., for a conference Lambert was to attend and then set off on a ride.
They quickly discovered a sign that read: “Suck it up Princess.”
“It was in the middle of a 18-degree, long hill and we thought it was to encourage riders in a bike race,” said TerHart.
“We found out later it was to inspire runners in a road race and we were delighted to learn there was also a bike ride of 305 km.”
It began in St. John’s and went around the Avalon Peninsula to finish the first day at the Edge of Avalon Hotel in Trepassey.
“We had to book early because the Trepassey Posse is a very popular ride and only 42 people can be accommodated at the Edge of Avalon Hotel,” said Lambert. “We were also told we had to join Bicycle Newfoundland to be eligible to enter.”
The duo recently returned to make the ride and trial lawyer TerHart said it was a beautiful outing, except for the stage across the barren lands on the first day.
“We faced 80 km/h-plus gusting winds and found ourselves cycling between eight and nine km/ h for about 50 kilometres,” says TerHart.
But they were warmed that night when fellow cyclists told them they were the first cyclists from outside Newfoundland to make the ride and saluted them with a toast.
The wind was replaced by fog on the second day, which made it impossible to see the whales they had hoped to spot.
“Rain followed the fog,” said TerHart. “But luckily we had bowls of hot chili waiting for us at lunch. And some of us enjoyed ‘special tea’ to help us to the finish. We were pretty soaked when we got there.”
The duo declared on return it been “a wonderful event in a special place” and encouraged others to go.
HOMES FOR ALL
Habitat for Humanity Edmonton, the biggest Habitat in Canada, is to get a $100,000 donation from the Realtors Community Foundation.
“We are thrilled to be in a position to award Habitat for Humanity Edmonton a cheque for $100,000 toward the build of a new home for a family in need,” said Gail Docken, a Realtors Community Foundation board member serving her second term as president.
Habitat has 38 homes under construction in the Edmonton area and this donation will help complete one, say Habitat staff.
The Realtors Foundation has been “a great champion for many years” of an organization which believes everyone deserves to own their own home.
“The Foundation was formed in 1986 due to the number of requests received from Edmonton and surrounding area charities,” said Docken. “Since then we have given more than $4 million to grassroots charities. We were able to donate $251,000 in the past year.”
Realtors can contribute to the foundation’s We Care program through each transaction they do. The foundation’s board also plans fundraising events each year and real estate brokerages and partner companies also donate.