Tee Up For Tots raises over $1 M
Some of the best and worst swingers in town last week helped raise more than $1 million for the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.
The event, played under a blue sky at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club, was the annual Tee Up For Tots golf game.
Golfers pay $2,500 for a spot in the tournament, which has been, for me anyway, a dreamlike experience since entrepreneur Sam Abouhassan and the Oilers’ Kevin Lowe founded it in 2000.
Where else can you win a $150,000 Maserati by acing a par 3? Or bid on a private jet flight to stay in a San Diego oceanfront condo and play at the legendary Torrey Pines
The Maserati went unclaimed, but Mashall Sadd of Lloyd Sadd Insurance Brokers chipped in $4,500 at the live auction to drive a Maserati from Calgary to stay at the Post Hotel in Lake Louise.
Brent Horn of Edmonton Trailer topped bidding at $54,000 for the San Diego golf trip, which included being measured and having a set of golf clubs made instantly for his foursome.
Horn also spent $4,500 on a trip for four to a Blue Jays game in Toronto, where his party will be featured on the stadium screen and included in a Sportsnet broadcast.
To become title sponsor of the tournament, PCL donated $100,000. It was retired PCL president and CEO Ross Grieve who spoke of the late Bob Stollery and his wife Shirley.
Bob Stollery, also a PCL president and CEO, and Shirley had a dream some 25 years ago of improving children’s health care in our region and offered to help create a hospital.
Grieve recalled the close friendship the Stollerys had with the late John and Barbara Poole and added: “What I learned from these guys was that we must give back to the community. What gets to me is that, while I have grey hair, there isn’t a lot at this tournament. Young people are taking over. I am so proud of our new culture.”
Others praised Grieve’s son Noah Jones, a partner in the Sorrell Financial insurance company, for chairing this year’s tournament and making it such a success.
Next year, Stephen Petasky, whose Luxus Company helped sponsor some of this year’s auction items, will chair the tournament Aug. 23 at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
“It’s because of your of your support of this signature event that children in Western Canada are receiving some of the best medical attention and family-focused care in the world, ”said Mike House, the Stollery Foundation president and CEO.
“There are more than 210,000 patient visits to the Stollery every year.” Auction highlights: PCL’s Alan Kuyster bid $37,000 for a 72-player VIP game at Blackhawk, with a meal later at XIX Nineteen restaurant; Paul Stewart of Thompson Bros. Construction paid $25,000 for a February trip to the first Superbowl in New York and Mike Webb of MacLachlan and Mitchell Homes spent $27,500 on a road trip with the Oilers.
Investment company owner Norma M. Gordon bought a golf or ski trip for eight to the Jasper Park Lodge, where her party will stay in the newly rebuilt Stanley Thompson Cabin, and Gord English paid $20,000 to take over the Corso 32 restaurant for one night, and another $8,000 for a CN ProAm golf tournament package at the Mayfair club during the LPGA tournament.
I had dreams of attending a private Sarah McLachlan concert in the backyard of the former home of Sandy Mactaggart, but it went to John Cameron of Kellerdenali Construction for $8,000.
A SHORTS STORY
It was a hot day, and perhaps we spent an instant too long at Ashif Mawji and Dr. Ray Muzyka’s scotch, rum and cigar hole, but when I heard golf pro+ and former Edmontonian Christine Lecuyer was offering to drive our ball on our last hole for $50 a person, I asked her how much it would cost for her to play the whole hole.
A deal was done and I was free to marvel at the smallish shorts she had been allowed to wear at this august golf course. “I have 75 pairs of shorts and 50 pairs of equally bright pants,” said Christine, who graduated magna cum laude in 2007, with a business administration degree, from the University of Central Arkansas.
“I have a business interest in what I wear.”
She drove our ball 240 yards down the par 5 hole and two shots later, she was next to the pin for a tap in birdie. We finished the course one under.
Others on my scramble team, Nathan Isbister, Kathleen Engel and Jason Reynolds, insisted on the playing their own shots. They probably still marvel at my business acumen.
PINOT ON THE PATIO
Help my Kids with Cancer bike riders make sure our campaign this year tops $400,000 by enjoying my Wednesday Pinot on the Patio wrap-up party at the Royal Glenora Club.
Good auction items are still arriving and include a two-night bed and breakfast package in a deluxe room at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and a dinner for six in La Ronde, hosted by general manger Richard Wong and yours truly. Don’t worry about running up the kilometres to Jasper in your own vehicle. Lexus of Edmonton’s Bruce Kirkland is providing a premium luxury automobile that weekend.
Stocking stuffers include VIP tickets for the first day of the Tour of Alberta cycling race and Ramesh Devangodi and his wife Sonia, from the west end New Asian Village, say as well as good Indian fare, they will bring enough cheesecake to make them the toast of every dentist in town.
The couple recently bought the Cheesecake Cafe. Tickets: $65 at 780-496-2459.