Fairway friends

Kids Golfing for Kids, the signature fundraiser for the Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre Niagara, raised nearly $27,599 this year.

In addition to $7,744 golfers on the Niagara district junior tour raised in pledges, sponsors contributed $19,750 to the Sunday, Aug. 12, tour stop at St. Catharines Golf and Country Club.

Jan Handy, the centre’s executive director and a guest of honour at the tour’s season-ending banquet, said in-kind services, such as use of the golf course, amounted to $13,347.

Beechwood’s Emily White, who is graduating from the tour this year, raised the most in pledges this year, raising $1,010.

Handy pointed out that thanks to continuing strong support from the junior tour, the centre has raised $270,000 over the past nine years.

Though the banquet celebrated the end to another season on the links, tour director John White reminded the golfers the game is about more than birdies and bogeys.

“It’s about the people you become,” he said. “You won’t remember what you did on the seventh hole but the friends you made.”

Every golfer on the tour received a price at Monday night’s banquet at Beechwood, but White and tour organizer Rose DiLonardo also did not go home empty-handed.

Each received gifts of framed photographs from the golfers.

White, who launched the tour 26 years ago, concluded the night by telling the golfers of how proud he is that they respect the game.

“The better you handle yourself on the golf course, the better you handle yourself in life,” he said.

Other highlights of the night was the presentation of a Chuck Smith Memorial Scholarship worth $948 to Mike Athoe, who is going on to pursue studies in electrical engineering at Niagara College.

Blake Pingue received the award as the top lefthander of the tour and Mya Mackey was chosen top rookie in the girls division.